Romien tuulo' lithea: Rising From the Ashes
by Vardaparmawen
Summary: LOC. Summary changes. Nithen is Haldir's little sister who is forced to grow up being raised by her brothers. Nithen joins the Lorien Army and follows in her brothers' footsteps. Suddenly things start to happen. Another war is coming
1. I' Yesta

Prologue:  
  
Family is something we all have in some form. Something we all desire, without a doubt. Family is the thing we all reach for, not just family, we all strive for the ideal family. The family that never dies, never leaves us, never lets a cold, cruel world touch us.  
  
Sometimes having that family, knowing them and loving them more then life....is crueler then anything because sometimes even the immortal die.  
  
Sometimes even the prettiest become scarred. Sometimes even the kindest turn cruel. Sometimes even attention can be a form of neglect. Sometimes...love is the greatest form of grief.  
  
The elves that lived peacefully on Middle Earth suddenly find their peaceful sanctuary a bloody battlefield. Some backed away from this, fearing the commitment of war as acceptance that war might destroy them. Others stepped forth to defend their families. They stepped forth to protect their families and their homes, hoping that a sword might do more then a whispered prayer in the dead, cold night.  
  
One family of elves in particular had a taste for battle from the very start. They had been the Captains of Lothlorien for as long as Lothlorien had stood. They were close, trusted friends of the Lord and Lady and well liked by the other inhabitants. Their sense of protection was so great that they inspired those who originally shied away to take up arms.  
  
This line also loved to be in love; they loved to marry and to have children and had somewhat large families by elvish standards. No one saw a problem with this until one day.....a small ring caused a large war that would last longer then many of the warriors on the field that day.  
  
A/N- I don't own Lord of the Rings, but please say you knew that? 


	2. I' Er Lembe

Chapter 2  
  
At the time of the Last Alliance both men and elves stood together against Sauron. Many fell. Their souls may rest but their bodies have lighted a candle's flame in the eternal pool of decay known as the Dead Marshes.  
  
It was a harsh time to be a member of a family that bore soldiers. One family were all born soldiers. For generations they had been Captains of the Lothlorien Archer's Regiment and Guards. Now all to war spare one....the youngest member. A mere babe at twenty named Nithen.  
  
*Before the troops marched towards Mordor*  
  
"Atara?" {Mommy?} A small voice came from behind the she-elf.  
  
"Uma, pen neth?" {Yes, little one?} She replied.  
  
"Mani naa marte?" {What is happening?}  
  
The mother got on one knee and gathered the elfling in her arms and smoothed her flaxen mane. Her husband came up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder. She could only say, "Im delotha ta." {I hate it.}  
  
"Delotha mani?" {Hate what?} He asked as he stroked his daughter's cheek.  
  
"Cel re." {Going away from her.}  
  
"Cel-lle?" {You're going away?} The elfling asked, distressed at the possibility.  
  
"Uma, pen neth." {Yes, little one.}  
  
"A ada?" {And daddy?}  
  
"Uma, iel." {Yes, daughter.} He responded tenderly.  
  
The child restrained a cry for a moment but she couldn't for long. Her small shoulders shook with silent sobbing.  
  
"Mani naa ta?" {What is it?} A voice asked and another elf walked in.  
  
"Kai, Haldir." {Nothing, Haldir.}  
  
"Why is Nithen crying?" He asked.  
  
Nithen looked up then and saw her oldest brother in full armor.  
  
"Cel-lle?" {You're going away?} Her eyes went big and her brows pinched together in an expression of complete childish incomprehension.  
  
"Uma, pen neth." He sighed, not being able to look in his baby sister's big eyes as he spoke.  
  
She cried, "A Rumil? A Orophin?" {And Rumil? And Orophin?}  
  
Like fools the two popped in when they heard their sister cry their names. They, like Haldir, were dressed in the full armor of Lothlorien.  
  
Nithen's mother cooed softly and tried to soothe her youngest babe but the child ran away from her. Her brothers and mother tried to go after her but her father called, "Daro!" {Stop!}  
  
"Why?" Rumil asked, prepared to continue running after his sister.  
  
"She needs to accept this and if she chooses to do so alone, Nai." {May it be.}  
  
They all bowed their heads and thought he was right, Nithen need to accept this in her own way. Her own way included running to Galadriel in tears, asking her to not let her family leave her. 


	3. Nyarien Tangaa Ilrisan

Chapter 3:  
  
A young elf girl sat on the top of the sentry tower (is that what we shall call it?) and looked out along the land. "Naurion? Iire naa Nana a Ada autien entul? Amin dela." {When are Mama and Daddy going to return? I worry.}  
  
Her elven friend sighed. His soft blue eyes stared at her hopeful . "Amin n'naa tanaka, pen neth." {I am not sure, little one.}  
  
A frown painted her rose-tinted lips. "Amin elea. Lle dela ten' toror'lle?" {I see. Do you worry about your brother?} Naurion's father had gone with Nithen's family and he had been left behind. Naurion was only one hundred so he was not considered grown enough though he was much older than Nithen's twenty-year-old self. "Amin merna vasa. Malia ten' vasa? {I am hungry. Care for some food?}  
  
"N'uma. Diolla lle." {No. Thank you.} The young girl leaped off the sentry tower and took off in a run.  
  
"Vanya sulie tenna' telwan. Amin entuluva rato." {Fair winds until later. I will return soon.} She skittered past two guards who turned angrily at her before seeing her wild raven locks, realizing it was Halmir's young daughter and smiling lightly.  
  
The young girl ran all the way up to the dining hall and halted to catch her breath as she sat at a table with many soldiers. Few were clad in armor and most were off-duty until sunset. Nithen smiled sweetly at the elf maiden who brought her food. "Diola lle." The elven maiden just nodded. Nithen ate her food quickly, while retaining the grace her mother always told her to have. She hated grace and all the lady-like business her mother pressed upon her. Her mother fought, why couldn't she? Nithen sighed and got up from the table as another elf took her plate from the table. She ran back to the sentry tower hastily.  
  
The young elf girl climbed swiftly up the ladder and smiled at Naurion. "Amin naa n'alaquel." {I am back.}  
  
Naurion smiled, "Creoso n'alaquel. Sut nae vasa?" {Welcome back. How was the food?}  
  
"Quel. Diola lle." {Good. Thank you.} The two elves sat in silence for a moment, just looking out at the field in front of them. Suddenly wisps of blond hair flew up over the crest of the hill about two miles off. Bright gold armor began to reflect the setting sun. Nithen smiled when she recognized the leader to be Haldir. "Aaye, aaye!" {Hail, hail!} Dozens of elves ran under the sentry tower with Nithen in the lead. She ran into her big brother's arms. "Creoso n'alaquel Toror'amin." {Welcome back my brother.} Haldir did not look happy.  
  
Orophin and Rumil, who were standing behind him, also had sad looks upon their faces. Young Nithen's brow furrowed, "Mani? Mani marte toror'?" {What? What happened brother?}  
  
Haldir looked down at his little sister and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Ilsii pen neth." {Not now little one.} He patted her head and motioned for her to run ahead. "Auta nyara Lady Galadriel tanya lye rakte." {Go tell Lady Galadriel that we have arrived.} The young Nithen ran ahead to find the Lord and Lady of the Wood.  
  
Orophin looked grimly at his older brother, "Ya nyaruva Nithen? Amin? Lle? N' Rumil?" {Who will tell Nithen? Me? You? Or Rumil?}  
  
Haldir took a deep breath in and kept a stern expression. "Amin naa autien nyar re." {I am going to tell her.}  
  
~~  
  
Haldir marched up to Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel who were standing with Nithen at their side. Even Lady Galadriel looked grim.  
  
Nithen smiled at her brother, "Manke naa Nana a Ada?" {Where are Mommy and Daddy?}  
  
Haldir grimaced and Nithen's smile faded. "Nana a Ada naa aute. Ron gurthe." {Mommy and Daddy are gone. They died.} Orophin and Rumil bit their lips and watched the little elf closely. Haldir crouched down to embrace his sister. "Tula sinome." {Come here.} The young raven-haired elfling ran into her big brother's arms. Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn looked on sadly.  
  
Orophin approached them, "Ron naa ilya aute, nosslye. Haldir, Rumil a amin naa ilya tanya naa kuila." {They are all gone, our family. Haldir, Rumil and I are all that are alive.}  
  
Galadriel nodded, "Amin sinta. Amin hiraetha ten' lle a nosselle." {I know. I am sorry for you and your family.}  
  
Rumil and Orophin began to leave as Nithen cried out, "N'uma! Ron naa ilguthe!" {No! They are not dead!}  
  
Haldir closed his eyes and saw it all again.  
  
~~~TO BE CONTINUED~~~  
  
Heehee, enjoy the next chappy. R&R PLEASE!!! 


	4. I' Ilrisa En Otha

Chapter 4:  
  
Haldir closed his eyes and a pained expression covered his face. "Ron naa ba." {They are dead}  
  
~~~Flashback~~~  
  
Orcs were everywhere. He could see his brother, Orophin, and his father to the left of him. Haldir moved swiftly and killed three of the monsters with one blow. Suddenly he heard Rumil cry out 'Nana!'  
  
Haldir ran over to see his mother falling. She had been further up the mount than they. An Orc stood proudly over the edge of the cliff as she fell. Haldir screamed, "Qualme ten' lle!" {Painful death to you!}  
  
He charged up the mountain to seek revenge as Rumil ran to their fallen mother. As Haldir fought the massive beast he heard Rumil cry out in sorrow. Ice claimed Haldir's heart and he quickly sliced through the beast. A creature fell at Haldir's feet.  
  
Haldir spat on him, "Namarie." He glanced down to see Rumil guarding their mother's body. He angled his feet and slid down a nearby incline that was a lot less steep. He ran down and fought to defend the body of his fair mother. Long ebon locks from her head mixed with the crimson pool of blood forming a halo around her head. He had already seen his uncle and aunt fall and this was not happening again, it could not. After a long while, very orcs remained and many of the elves were able to tend to the wounded. Mother was dead.  
  
Orophin ran over, "Manke naa Ada?" {Where is father?} Rumil and Haldir grew grimmer.  
  
Haldir looked up at him, "Amin n'uma sinta." {I do not know.} The three took off in search for their father. Haldir found his body. The blonde locks of his father's golden hair stood out against the orc blood covering his golden armor. Haldir fell to his knees. "Amin utua ho." {I found him.}  
  
The lack of relief in their brother's voice caused Rumil and Orophin to despair. They walked over to see Haldir lying on his knees wiping the orc blood from his father's armor. No tears fell from his cold blue eyes. "Ro naa aute." {He is gone.} Haldir stood quickly and picked his father up. Without showing any emotion, he carried his father over and placed him with the dead. "Namarie." {Farewell.} Three elven hearts hardened that day.  
  
~~~END FLASHBACK~~~  
  
Nithen opened her eyes, "Amin elee tanya. Amin elee mani lle elee." {I saw that. I saw what you saw.} Tears poured from the young girl's blue eyes. She ran from the arms of Galadriel and fled down the stairs. "N'uma!" {No!}  
  
Haldir's eyes widened with worry, "Tampa sii'!" {Stop now!}  
  
The young girl turned and looked at her brother. Pain filled the child's eyes. "Mani?" {What?}  
  
Haldir walked up and hugged her, "Amin hiraetha tanya lle elee tayna." {I am sorry that you saw that.} He tried to calm her cries as she wept. Nothing happened and he stood. "Tampa nallien." {Stop crying.}  
  
Nithen's sky blue eyes filled with anger, "N'uma! Amin naa ten'oio cormrusva." {No! I am forever heartbroken.}  
  
Galadriel's eyes melted with pity. "Saese tula sina pen neth." { Please Come here little one.}  
  
Haldir let her go as she meekly walked up. "Mani?" {What?}  
  
Galadriel took a deep breath, "Lle fallanuva. Lle naa beleg, pen neth." {You will heal. You are strong, little one.} Nithen sighed hopelessly.  
  
"Uma, Hiril Galadriel." {Yes, Lady Galadriel.} She turned and walked over to Haldir, Rumil and Orophin. "Amin hiraetha." {I am sorry.} The three brothers nodded and took their baby sister back to their felt.  
  
Rumil and Orophin started to move their stuff into their parent's flet above. Haldir sighed, "Ta naa ilvanya." {It is not fair.} He looked down at his little sister. "Re anta ontaron." {She needs parents.} The other two nodded.  
  
"Lye cealuva na faarea." {We will have to be enough.} Rumil frowned as he looked down at the girl. Nithen picked up her mother's sword and swung it twice. Her dark blue eyes lit with glacial coldness. Now four hearts had hardened.  
  
~~~TO BE CONTINUED~~~ R&R! E-mail us with any question/comments. Vanya sulie. {Fair winds.} 


	5. Re gurtha ikotane bragol

Chapter 5- Re gurtha ikotane bragol -She died so sudden  
  
That night Nithen put her mother's sword in her bed and clutched it as though it were a soft blanket. The next morn, when Haldir came in to check on her, he found her room empty.  
  
"Manke dona Nithen?" {Where is Nithen?} He asked the air. He checked under her bed and in her closet and in every hiding place their flet had to offer. He finally called his brothers.  
  
"Rumil! Orophin! Nithen udona sinome. Lye cael-a' elea ten'he." {Nithen is not here. We have to look for her.}  
  
"Mani?" {What?}  
  
"Re udona sinome. Im elea. Khilanin." {She is not here. I looked. Follow me.}Haldir barked commands at his younger brothers.  
  
"Manke um lye khila lle a'?" {Where do we follow you to?} Rumil asked, attaching a dagger to his belt.  
  
"Tel' aldar. Re meleth sen'." {The trees. She loves them.} He muttered as he darted into the branches out of her window, following paths she could have taken.  
  
They were stalking her quietly, for if she had fled the house she obviously had wanted to be away from them. They separated and went into three directions, each leading to one clearing surrounded by protective mallorns.  
  
Haldir looked on in shock at the scene before him. Nithen, his baby sister, an elfling of twenty, was holding their mother's sword. No, not holding it- wielding it. She was performing an intricate dance around something he could not see for it was covered by shadows. A vicious grunting and growling was coming from it though and he was not comforted by it.  
  
He spotted Rumil and Orophin across from him and motioned to them to sneak up on her, not to let her see them else she run off. They nodded and proceeded to climb down silently and closed in on their little crow, as they had called her when she had been an infant in their mother's arms. Little crow for her mane of crow-black hair, unlike the blonde heads of her three bothers.  
  
But she heard them, how they never knew, "Ta-nin! Cel!" {It's mine! Go away!}  
  
"Mani nin?" {What's yours?} Rumil asked.  
  
Nithen turned to face him and he saw her tear-stained eyes, the brightest blue but now cold. He remembered those eyes laughing happily at a fluttering butterfly or wide in amazement of some stunt or another one of her brothers' had performed. Now those eyes were ice and it pained him to see them that way.  
  
When Nithen faced him she opened her mouth to reply but then a clawed hand came out of the shadow and cut her cheek, her brothers rushed in to save her but before they could help her she flung out the blade and a gurgled cry of pain sounded as black blood drenched the ground.  
  
Black blood.......... "AIYA ELBERETH! YRCH!" {OH ELBERETH! ORCS!}  
  
They wanted to help her but before they could get to her she swung the bloodied blade in her hands at the orc and a last scream ended suddenly, when it fell away from the shadow an ugly slash went from its chin right down through its throat. A poorly handed out death but a death. They could also see that it had a leash of sorts connecting it to the tree it was next to. There were also burns all over its body from being forced into the sun.  
  
They looked at her in astonishment.  
  
"Im u-adulome. Im u-pen a Im you-nandor." {I'm not a baby. I'm not little and I'm not cowardly.} She stated.  
  
"Mani dona lle quen?" {What are you saying?} Haldir asked, getting on one knee so he could look her eye to freezing eye.  
  
To prove her point Nithen opened the night shirt she was wearing to reveal the scratches and gashes she had undoubtedly received from the orc. Then she did something she only did when trying to show off, she spoke the Common Tongue, "I caught it. I leashed it. I hurt it. I killed it. Im u- adulome." {I'm not a baby.}  
  
The wounds were bleeding and Haldir could see a bead of sweat on her brow from trying to withhold her tears of pain.  
  
Haldir thought he knew what she was trying to convey. She was not a coward nor was she an infant any longer, though indeed she was still a little child. She understood that she was still very young and she could not fully comprehend why she could pull a stunt like the one she had just pulled and survive.....but when her parent's did it they were killed. But looking at her again, her little hand clutching the hilt of the sword as if it were a lifeline, he realized something much more true, much more simple: She missed her mother, and she missed her father and she did not understand death. Elves in general did not understand it and here she was, so young, and being forced to try and comprehend it. Nithen did not know where her parents were or what they were going through; all she understood about death was that it meant they were never coming back home. And with the scene of their deaths that she had witnessed, she was liable to believe that death was dark and cold and ugly.  
  
Suddenly a voice came to Haldir, the voice of his mother, "Stop looking to far into this, son. She's a child, she does not know how to deceive you. She wants what every child wants, no matter age or race or sex.  
  
He sighed, he thought he understood. "Lle milye sen'. Lle merna nauva yassen sen', uume lle?" {You miss them. You want to be with them, don't you?}  
  
Her cold gaze began to warm at Haldir's words and in seeing this, Rumil and Orophin got on their knees  
  
"Uume um ta a'sen', Nithen. Atar a adar dona firn an tirille-or." {Don't do it to them, Nithen. Mother and father are dead for your brighter (better) days.}  
  
"Im uume rangwa." {I do not understand.} She replied, her voice was a squeak as she restrained tears.  
  
"Adar a atar mel lle ikotane, pen neth. Yanwa sen' a lle ere on-sen' beleg fuin." {Father and mother love you so, little one. Join them and you only give them mightier darkness.}  
  
Nithen dropped the sword and finally let a tear fall, followed by many and she threw herself into Haldir's arms crying into his shoulder, "Amin hiraetha, amin hiraetha. Im uuma merna a'on-sen' ner fuin." {I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I do not want to give them more darkness.}  
  
"Ta dona tereva, pen neth." Haldir cooed to her as he carried her back to her room, "Ta dona tereva, pen creban." {It is fine, little one. It is fine, little crow.}  
  
As he tucked her into her bed he kissed her head and quietly asked Rumil to get a washcloth. When his brother returned, Haldir calmly cleaned his sister's wounds and tended them; he also cleaned all the blood and dirt off of her.  
  
"Mani marte a'he?" {What happened to her?} Rumil asked, the question was directed towards Haldir but he did not respond.  
  
Orophin asked, "Haldir, mani marte a'he?" {What happened to her?}  
  
Haldir spoke to them sternly, with so much pain in his eyes that it was incredible he could still form the words, "Re gurtha ikotane bragol." {She died so sudden.}  
  
He whisped his fingers through his baby sister's hair and knew that a part of her was dead before she was even old enough to know what it was, he knew a part of her was gone and would never come back. She would not miss it, she did not even know it was gone, but he missed it for her. 


	6. Khelek naa mor a luin

A/N- please review this fic! Tell us what you think about Nithen or anyone!  
  
Please? *puppy face*  
  
Chapter 6- Ice is black and blue  
  
Blades met angrily and sharply, their contact sounding sharply through the hollows of the mallorns that stood as silent witnesses. A grunt and a growl emitted from one fighter as they pushed forth, ever aggressive and skillful. The bout had been going on for hours and yet no one had given up or dropped out, no one had won or lost either.  
  
Suddenly a yelp of pain sounded. This bout was not to first blood but blood had just been drawn by the blade of the aggressor.  
  
"Amin hiraetha." {I'm sorry.}The words may have meant something if the tone were a little warmer, but the actions spoke louder. Nithen looked at her opponent's wounds and whispered a few healing words and watched as the wound bound itself and stopped bleeding.  
  
Her eyes were as numb as the ice that was clinging to the leaves around the training clearing. Nithen had been fighting different elves since sunrise. This was her audition for the Lorien border guard, if she made it she would be with her brothers.  
  
She had been training since she was twenty, and that was over nine hundred years ago. Her skill had been clumsy and limited when she began but she had a fierce determination and a hunger for perfection that led to her developing a great skill.  
  
Though her heart was still dead and cold, as cold as her ice-blue eyes, she had learned that in order to be a good soldier, one could not be anti- social. One had to be liked by one's fellow soldiers or one would be killed fast by one's own men. Haldir came up behind her as she swung her sword around a few more times in preparation for another round. "Nithen, be gentle."  
  
She swallowed hard; he only used the Common Tongue when he wished to have a private conversation with her publicly. When he wished to chastise her without dragging her to the sidelines.  
  
"Orcs will not be," she pointed out. Nithen looked towards the other trainees who wished to be a member of the guard, and then to the elf in charge of the training bouts.  
  
"Ya sii'?" {Who now?} She asked innocently though frost glazed her voice.  
  
He shook his head and motioned towards the archery ranges, "Cel. Lle dona quel." {Go. You are good.}  
  
She smiled triumphantly and wished the other trainees a sincere 'good luck'. Though she desperately wanted the position, she also wanted to show off. She had been privately training and none of the others had seen her do much of anything battle-wise. She had attended a few social events with them and had a few acquaintances but she had neither friends nor lovers.  
  
She chose not to have friends for the same reason her brothers kept all possible suitors scared away: Nithen's heart was as cold as her gaze. She had one love and that was battle and she hated it as much as she loved it. Nithen had no sense of love spare for what she felt for her brothers.  
  
Well, what she felt for them most of the time.  
  
"Nithen, I understand that you're ice, but why must your ice be black and blue?" Haldir asked as he motioned to the bruises she had on her arms from a few hits from other trainees' swords hitting her but not breaking through her hard exterior, in more then one way.  
  
"Because it's dreary when it's all black." Nithen replied, staring at the ground as she did. This was the one point that she and Haldir disagreed about; her obsessive training, her near need for battle. She was the closest to Haldir because he took on the role of mother and father for her and he took his new role seriously.  
  
He scowled and walked in silence for a few minutes before his scowl faded and he put an arm around her waist, "Im mela lle, Nithen." {I love you.}  
  
She smiled slightly and leaned into him: big brother, father, mother and trainer all in one, "Im mela lle ner, Haldir." {I love you more.}  
  
They reached the archery range and Haldir sighed and rolled his eyes. Nithen refused to wear a wrist guard. It was painful to watch her shoot, she had deadly accuracy but she would slice her wrist into rags in the process. He couldn't teach her differently, she wouldn't listen.  
  
She was convinced that she wouldn't feel physical pain until she could feel emotional pain, something that hadn't happened since that tragic day.  
  
He was convinced that one day someone would break through that ice and the river of withheld pain would flow wide and deep, and she would need something greater then herself to not drown in it. 


	7. Ten'creban Udona Pen Sii'

Chapter Seven: The Crow is not little now  
  
Nithen stood tall and proud before her peers as her brother shook her hand. Rumil, Orophin and Haldir stood before her. Haldir smiled, "Quel ume selleramin." {Well done my sister.}  
  
Nithen shook his hand and looked out among her fellow soldiers proudly. She smiled, "Diola lle tororamin." {Thank you my brother.} Nithen was now second in command to the entire army of Lothlorien.  
  
So far the memories of the loss of her parents had been blocked by her drive for battle but Haldir still worried about when they might resurface. As soon as the ceremony was over Nithen left, she did not stay for the reception. Haldir worried for his sister, she was not social at all. She was well liked among the ranks but she did not seem to get close to any other soldiers. Except for Naurion, she had few close friends and no boyfriends. This was a comfort to the three brothers; the last thing they needed to deal with was a suitor.  
  
Nithen ran up to the north sentry tower, "Naurion!"  
  
The blond haired elf turned and smiled, "A! Crebanamin!" {Ah! My crow!}  
  
The raven-haired Nithen smiled, "Sut naa lle?" {How are you?}  
  
Bright blue eyes stared back at Nithen, "Amin naa quel. Diola lle. Ar lle?" {I am well. Thank you. And you?}  
  
Naurion had grown quite smitten with the elven warrior before him but never spoke a word of it. He did not have the heart to tell her because she never spoke of loving anyone except her brothers. Oh how jealous Naurion was of those three brothers of hers. Nithen smiled, "Amin naa quel vithel. Diola lle." {I am well also. Thank you.}  
  
Nithen's friend smiled brightly at her, "Amin merna vasa. Uma lle merna vasa?" {I want food. Do you want food?}  
  
The elven warrior shook her head but her stomach growled immediately afterward. "Amin autuva yassen lle met sii'. Tula!" {I will go with you to eat now. Come on!}  
  
The two ran towards the dining hall quickly. On the way there Naurion ran into one of the elves he spars with on occasion. The young elf looked from Naurion to Nithen, "Amin elea lle caela Edhelwen, Naurion." {I see you have an elf maiden, Naurion.}  
  
Naurion blushed furiously and Nithen's blue eyes frosted over with anger. Naurion sighed, "Amin uuma." {I did not...}  
  
Before the young boy could finish Rumil grabbed him by the shoulders. Orophin came up behind Naurion's friend and grabbed hold of his shoulders. Haldir came to stand in between the two. Haldir looked from one elfling to the next, "Lle atta naa autien din! Pen selleramin uuma caela melarea." {You two are going to be silent! My little sister does not have lovers!}  
  
Orophin shoved the elfling lightly and tousled his little sister's hair. "'Amin' mela lle pen neth." {'I' love you little one.}  
  
Haldir was not amused by Orophin's attempted humor. "Amin mela re ner." {I love her more.} Rumil tossed Naurion to the ground and gave him a warning glance before entering the brothers' argument.  
  
Nithen laughed at them and looked over at Naurion. The elf boy looked terribly hurt, both from Nithen's lack of response and his wounded pride. Nithen helped him up, "Amin hiraetha." {I am sorry.}  
  
The boy shrugged and walked away. Nithen bit her lip as Naurion's friend ran after him. Nithen glared at Haldir, "Sina naa ilya umienlle!" {This is all your doing!} She fled towards the chambers of the Lord and Lady of the Wood.  
  
Galadriel saw the young elfling approach, "Mani marte pen neth?" {What happened little one?}  
  
After she composed herself she looked up at the Lady of Light, "Kai. Halir, Orophin ar' Rumil naa lalaien ie' amin." {Haldir, Orophin and Rumil are teasing me.} The small elfling looked like she was trying her hardest not to cry.  
  
The Lady of the Golden Wood smiled, "Tula. Tula yassen amin ar' lye quenuva." {Come. Come with me and we will talk.}  
  
The insecure elfling walked with the Lady into one of her gardens. "Ta naa vanima..." {It is beautiful.} Her face had a sense of awe as she examined the blossoms and plants. She smiled, "Amin mela ta." {I love it.}  
  
Galadriel smiled, "Lle aa' tula sinome ie' ai' coiasira. Sina nauva lye yamen'." {You can come here at any time. This will be our place.} The two sat side-by-side talking about the say for a long while.  
  
~  
  
Haldir looked up at his brother, "Uma lle nowa lye nae foray um tanya?" {Do you think we were right to do that?}  
  
Orophin nodded as their sister passed out of view, "Ta naa ten' quelre." {It is for her own good.}  
  
Rumil sighed, "Amin sinta nan' amin naa ikotane yerya." {I know but I am so worn out.} The elven warrior looked aged past his years with worry. "Amin nowa tanya lye anta quen yassen Lord Celeborn." {I think we need to talk with Lord Celeborn.}  
  
The two other brothers nodded and departed for the Lord and Lady's chambers.  
  
~~~To Be Continued~~~  
  
R&R please! 


	8. Gon

A/N- Really sorry about chapter 8's delay, this is Blue Eyes and anyone who has been reading Daughter of the Telcontar knows that my schedule has barely allowed me breathing time so I apologize!  
  
Chapter 8- Second in Command  
  
Nithen sat in the garden of Lady Galadriel, whom she secretly referred to as "atara" {mommy}. The little crow was playing with an elanor blossom that she had discovered. Haldir looked at her from a few feet away, he had just come from a meeting with Lord Celeborn, his brothers were still in council with him.  
  
"Your sister is very unsure of emotions all in all. She doesn't have any comprehension of love because a great form of it was taken from her very early on. Now she is entering into adulthood and she has to deal with the fact that she is missing love. None that know her know how to react to her and she does not fully comprehend how to react to them. I would advise you leave her love life alone else you force her to realize that she may never have one in any sense of the term. Protect her from those who would hurt her, but do not pry. She looks to you Haldir, more so then Rumil or Orophin, and she needs you to accept her where many will not."  
  
Haldir nodded gravely, he had known long ago that his little crow had a heart as cold as ice but he had never known that she was ignorant of that. He felt as though he had been chastised by Lord Celeborn quite long enough and made to leave but the ancient lord called parting words to him, "Sometimes the loveliest blossom is the one that blooms last. Do not make her into what she is not ready to be."  
  
Haldir left then to find his little sister and found her in Galadriel's garden. The Lady suddenly approached Nithen with something cradled in her hands. The saddened elf let out a cry of delight when she saw it. When Haldir glimpsed it he smiled, the Lady had presented her with an infant crow, who was aware that although it was with un-birdlike creatures, that these creatures would keep it safe and warm. Haldir could just barely make out the words that Galadriel gave Leyadriel with the crow.  
  
"Nauva ten'rashwe, Nithen, ta naa adulome." Galadriel warned.  
  
"Im uuva cheb-ta-ello ta atar." {I will not keep it from its mother.} She cooed as she stroked it's tiny head gently.  
  
"Um lle malia ten'edhel?" {Do you care for an elf?}  
  
"N'uma." {No.}  
  
"Ta ucaela luhta lle?" {It has not enchanted you?} Galadriel inquired.  
  
"Mani ucaela luhta nin?" {What has not enchanted me?}  
  
"Tel' galad en' karnela." {The radiance of making love.}  
  
"N'uma, ta ucaela." {No, it has not.} Nithen bowed her head so that she was not looking the Lady in the eye.  
  
Galadriel kissed Nithen's temple softly and cooed, "Ta dona tereva, Nithen. Sinta ten'oio: Lle naa ikotane vanima, manka merna sen', sana sen' yassen ruinlle a' ech-sen' anta lle." {It is fine, Nithen. Know this forever: You are so beautiful, if you want them, take them with your red flame and make them need you.}  
  
Nithen absorbed the Lady's words of confidence in the little crow and left her, as she passed Haldir she muttered, "My husband and I have very different ideas on the love life of Nithen but we agree on one thing, do not allow her to come to harm."  
  
"Uma, Hirilnin." {Yes, my Lady.} Haldir was not a little confused...he was extremely confused as to who to listen to, Galadriel or Celeborn?  
  
Since she was twenty he and his brothers had had the burden of being her brothers and her parents and they were more often then not confused about how to do some things or who's advice they should take. He took a step towards Nithen when he saw Orophin and Rumil come towards him, obviously they had just met with Lord Celeborn, and passed Lady Galadriel. The three confused brothers walked towards their sister.  
  
From in back of them, Celeborn and Galadriel smiled, "That may have been cruel, Galadriel."  
  
"They need to learn that they cannot always rely on others when they are facing a problem with her. Confusing them will help that."  
  
"It is a great responsibility that they have carried long."  
  
"A child, do remember, is a responsibility carried far longer then the time they have dealt with it, a child lasts an eternity."  
  
They watched as Haldir, Rumil and Orophin sat around Nithen. They all cooed apologies to her and she threw her arms around each of their necks in forgiveness. Then they heard the horns call, the horns of the borders in need of their leaders. The four ran full speed towards the call. They expected to meet with a battle but instead they met guards that were pointing in the distance to a group of wanders coming towards.  
  
"Prepare the archers. We shall ambush them." Nithen ordered and Haldir nodded proudly in back of her.  
  
The archers strung their bows and hid in the leaves as the group entered, quite the motley crew. There was only a single elf among them and he was a wood elf, there were two men, four hobbits and a dwarf of all things. Nithen made a disgusted face at the small smelly creature, he was hairy and loud and she had the urge to shoot him on those grounds alone.  
  
Then the elf began to sing a song of the Nimrodel, the river they were on, and Nithen found herself softly following along. Then the dwarf grunted loudly a derogatory remark about elves and the whole ambush jumped out at that point. The elf of the group pointed at her, who he was closest to, but he could see that this was a failed attempt at protecting his party.  
  
"Mae govannen Eldar o Lorien." He said, putting his bow down and bowing to them.  
  
"Ya naa lle?" Haldir asked sharply but up close Nithen could see his clothing where before she had seen foliage and recognized him. The archer's kept their bows strung but lowered them.  
  
"Ta naa er ten'Thranduillion. O Eryn Lasgalen." She said.  
  
"Im essa Legolas, Taren o Eryn Lasgalen. Met anta varalle." {My name is Legolas, Prince of the Wood of Greenleaves. We need your protection.}  
  
"Come now! Speak in a tongue we can all understand!" The dwarf hissed.  
  
"We have not had dealings with the dwarves since the dark days." Haldir spat in Common Tongue for the benefit of the Dwarf hearing it.  
  
The Dwarf muttered a few colorful words in elvish that caused the archers to point their arrows at him. One of the men stepped forward, between the arrows and the dwarf.  
  
"Im essa Estel o Imladris. Im aran o Gondor, Isildurchil. Saes, on-ner rangwa a' ten'naug. Ta naa estellye, varalle." {I am Estel of Rivendell. I am King of Gondor, the heir of Isildur. Please, give more understanding to the Dwarf. It is our hope, your protection.}  
  
Nithen considered this and exchanged a glance with Haldir who seemed to trust this Estel more then she did. "You are known here, Estel. Or may I call you Aragorn."  
  
Aragorn nodded in agreement and Nithen looked him over, "A Dunadan, a Gondorian, An Elf, Four Hobbits, and A Dwarf....we were never told to expect such company."  
  
She walked the length of the group and suddenly stopped dead and stared into the blue eyes of a hobbit, in her heart and her mind she saw why it was they were here. "You bring a great evil here...Ringbearer."  
  
The archers company took a small step back from the hobbit and he looked at her, "Please help us, for the day has been overly eventful. With the burden we already carry we carry another."  
  
"You carry a burden, Ringbearer, and you would be the only one feeling any additional grievance. This, I expect, is the Fellowship set out from Imladris," She shot a look at Aragorn and chastised, "Really, the Ranger should've had better manners regarding introductions since he was raised there."  
  
Haldir counted the members quickly, "I count eight of you, yet nine set out from Rivendell. Where is Mithrandir? Does the Pilgrim come behind you?"  
  
Aragorn bowed his head, "Our bearing are to be brought before the Lady before it is to be shared among her people."  
  
Nithen did not catch his tone but Haldir did. Mithrandir had actually taken Nithen with him on a bit of traveling when she was about 200 years old, he was a prominent figure in her life and one she was greatly attached to. If something had happened to Mithrandir, Haldir wanted to be able to cushion the blow.  
  
"ARCHERS!" He called them to attention and Nithen then turned to them, "We are going to escort the Fellowship to the Lord and Lady. Do NOT let ONE of them out of your sight.." She locked eyes with the Mirkwood prince, "Not even the wood elf."  
  
With that the Fellowship moved under the scrutiny of the elves towards the heart of Lothlorien. Nithen guarded the wood elf that she had targeted and asked curiously, "Is it true what they say about the skill of Woodland archers?"  
  
"It is with our kin as it is with yours, there are some who succeed and some who do not."  
  
"You wielded a bow against us at the beginning of the ambush, have you any skill?"  
  
He smirked at her, "Some."  
  
His smile quickly faded and she could almost feel the weight of grief on him though she could not tell from what and she finally put a hand on his shoulder, "Mani marte?" {What happened?}  
  
Haldir came up behind her and brushed her hand off of Legolas' shoulder, asking Nithen to run ahead and alert the Lord and Lady. She did as he asked and when her form had disappeared the wood elf let out a breath, "Ya naa re?" {Who is she?}  
  
"My baby sister. Tell me what happened." Haldir's voice was commanding and even Legolas recognized the tone of concern that stained his words.  
  
"Mithrandir was lost in the Mines of Moria." He bowed his head and had spoken quietly so that others would not hear.  
  
Haldir bowed his head and muttered a prayer for Mithrandir, "Please do not tell my sister when she returns."  
  
"Mankoi?" {Why?}  
  
"Re mela Mithrandir ikotane ner. Ho caela adar a're." {She loved him so much. He was a father to her.}  
  
"Where are your parents that Mithrandir need replace one?" Legolas asked.  
  
"My parents are both with your mother." Haldir snapped, cutting the younger elf with his reference to the death of Legolas' mother some years ago by orcs, "And they parted this world when she was but twenty. She barely remembers them and has let others take their place in what heart she has left to share. Now two fathers have been killed for her, I will tell her you shall not princeling."  
  
Haldir's sharp words made Legolas understand the depth of Haldir's care for his sister and he also realized just how grieved the she-elf would be. Haldir made to walk ahead of Legolas when the younger elf asked, "When were they lost?"  
  
"Before you were born."  
  
"When?"  
  
Haldir looked ready to slap the prince, "In the Last Alliance and since then my sister has not been the same, she has been grieving since before you were crawling on your knees. Now let off."  
  
Legolas held up his hands to symbolize that he did not mean to offend Haldir who was walking toward the front, where Nithen was about to be already returning from her mission. The elf-prince caught the swish of that raven feather hair and the complete stand still she went into when Haldir broke the news to her. She paused a moment before shaking off her brother and marching towards Legolas.  
  
"How?!" Tears were behind her eyes but they refused to fall, or she refused to let them.  
  
"A Balrog of Morgorth." He whispered.  
  
"Was it quick?"  
  
"Uma." {Yes.}  
  
"Painless."  
  
"It was his choice. He fought the Balrog then freely let go of the rock he had clung to in order to fall. But it was painless."  
  
She nodded, "Twas his choice, not mine."  
  
She whispered a prayer for him before giving the prince a tender kiss on his cheek, "Diolla lle." {Thank you.}  
  
"Creoso lle." {Your welcome.} He replied as she fell back in line to the Hobbit she had scolded earlier and he saw her give him a tender kiss on his brow.  
  
"Im hiraetha, Frodo." {I'm sorry, Frodo.} She whispered.  
  
"We all are, vanaer, we all are." {beautiful one}  
  
Then the pain in her eyes iced and she replied, "They aren't....but they will be."  
  
Haldir saw his sister do the same thing to Gandalf's death that she had done to her parents' deaths: she had turned it into a reason to fight.  
  
A/N- sorry if this is crappy, I managed to get writing time in..at midnight. Good night and R/R 


	9. Flustered Brothers

A/N: Once again, sorry for the delay. Lots o updating to do.  
  
Chapter Nine- Flustered Brothers  
  
Nithen ran, she had been running for two hours now. Images of times spent with her elderly friend ran through her mind. He was so sweet. Her pace picked up. Twice, she had completed the five-mile path, and she neared completion of the third lap. As she paused to drink from the stream alongside the path, she noticed someone was with her. She politely turned to the being, "Amin hiraetha, nan' amin anta rim sii'. Amin..." She noticed she was talking to a human.  
  
The blond human from Gondor, who arrived with the fellowship last evening, stood before her. He smiled, "I wish to join you."  
  
Nithen raised her ebon eyebrow cautiously, "I am sorry, I do not wish to have any company. I prefer to train alone. Thank you for the offer Sir." Her voice was cautiously detached.  
  
He smiled, "Call me Boromir, Lirimaer. What is your name?" {Lovely one.}  
  
A spark lit in her blue eyes, not one of interest, one of anger. "You may call me Lady, or Warden."  
  
Boromir raised his eyebrow questioningly, "So cold, yet so beautiful."  
  
Nithen's eyes became alarmed and she took off towards her brothers' post. Boromir followed in quick pursuit. The young elf sped up, crying out in surprise.  
  
She ran under the sentry tower and started up the ladder. Haldir had told her that he would manage the northern border by himself, but there was another with him.  
  
Boromir must not have seen the two elves above, for he called out. "Roikaer, come back down here!" {Pure one.}  
  
The only response was an arrow piercing the ground right next to his feet.  
  
As Nithen frantically explained to Haldir what had ensued, the wood elf was leaping down to speak with his friend. Animosity filled the air between them.  
  
"Boromir, dina. Uuma naa n'nostale, Ascarer." {Boromir, be silent. Do not be unkind, impetuous one.}  
  
The man sneered, "I was just complimenting the maiden on her beauty."  
  
Icy blue eyes met angered brown ones. The woodland elf snarled quietly, "Back down. Go see Aragorn. Tell him what you have done, I do not wish to fight you in front of a lady." He spoke like a parent to a child, chiding Boromir for his poor public behavior.  
  
Before Boromir could retreat, Haldir was one the forest floor. "Wait. I wish to have a word."  
  
Boromir turned, and was slammed in the jaw by Haldir's fist. "Never touch my sister! Never look at my sister! Never talk to my sister!" Haldir proceeded to give Boromir a civilized talking to, with his fists.  
  
When it was clear that Haldir had little intention of stopping, the woodland elf pulled him off Boromir. "Tampa, let him go." {Stop.}  
  
Haldir composed himself, "Of course, Legolas." Boromir ran off, fear in his eyes.  
  
A half smile formed on Legolas's lips, "That was quite the one-sided fight." Haldir and Legolas laughed silently over Legolas's innuendo.  
  
Nithen leaped down, "Diola lle, Legolas Thrandullion." She walked away calmly, a stoic expression on her elvish features.  
  
~~  
  
Legolas headed back up to the flets that Galadriel and Celeborn had granted them. Aragorn walked out, "What on Middle Earth happened to Boromir?"  
  
The Prince smirked lightly, "Haldir." Aragorn tried to hide his amusement at his friend's sarcasm. He was a poor actor.  
  
Aragorn shook his head, "What did Boromir do that encouraged such a calm elf to pummel him!?" Legolas fought off a loud laugh at Aragorn's unconcerned tone.  
  
Legolas laughed lightly, "He made bold comments to the March Warden's little sister. You know, the one with the black hair..."  
  
Gimli looked up from his axe, "Why would Boromir like her? That 'she- elf' surely isn't the fairest."  
  
Legolas gave him a cold stare. "Ask the blubbering fool, not I."  
  
Aragorn laughed, "Someone is a little sensitive about the elf maiden." Legolas gave Aragorn a stern look and started to retreat to one of the flets.  
  
Pippin approached him, "Mr. Legolas, sir, are you referring to the she-elf with the long black hair?"  
  
Legolas nodded, "The only 'maiden' here with such hair, yes."  
  
"I must agree with Gimli...she is nowhere near as fair as the other maidens, but then again, I haven't seen many elves." Deep blue pools flared with anger.  
  
Merry saw the restrained anger in Legolas's eyes, "Shut up Pippin." He grabbed his friend's arm and pulled him over to talk with Frodo and Sam.  
  
Legolas sighed, 'What do I care of this elf girl?' He shook his head and went to rest a bit.  
  
~~  
  
As Nithen prepared her pale white night gown and stripped off her thick gold armor, she found herself thinking of Gandalf. For the first time in ages, she almost wanted to cry. Memories of her real father arose as she thought of her loss.  
  
'Boromir was only offering words of solace to me.why did I turn away?' No one had ever spoke kind words to Nithen before, spare her brothers. It actually made her feel rather good about herself. She would have to talk with Rumil or Orophin about it. She couldn't talk to Haldir; he would loose control and beat Boromir bloody...again.  
  
Nithen silently slipped out of her flet to the bathing pool near the soldiers' barracks. As she slipped off her tunic, revealing a small undershirt, she noticed Boromir was there.  
  
She gasped, "Vendui..." {Greetings...}  
  
He smiled kindly, "You are so lovely, with your pale skin and raven black hair...though I must say, you would even more enchanting without that undershirt and those leggings."  
  
Heat rushed to Nithen's cheeks as she innocently turned away. Suddenly something clicked in her, he wasn't flattering her, he was seducing her. She went cold again, and punched him square in the jaw.  
  
As her fist connected with his face, he went sprawling to the ground. Without warning she heard two stern voices echo. "Mani naa autien a' sinome?" {What is going on here?} Haldir and Rumil hovered over Boromir's retreating form.  
  
Boromir started to back away towards the forest, but the one absent brother, Orophin, grabbed him by the collar of his tunic. "Stay here, friend." An unexpected malice was in his voice.  
  
"This is my sweet innocent sister, Nithen. I am one of her three concerned brothers. We are concerned because we have allowed 8 strange males into our wood and one of them cannot seem to stay away from her." He shoved Boromir towards Haldir, who knocked him to the ground.  
  
Rumil picked up the tale, "Though us three brothers have tried time and again to ward off this nuisance of a man, he continues to taint our young sister's mind." By now several soldiers had gathered around.  
  
Some of the onlookers were anxiously murmuring 'fight' and 'take him Haldir'. Haldir hit Boromir hard in the face. He stumbled back into Rumil, who pushed him back towards Haldir. Rumil and Orophin laughed, "Come on Haldir. Show him why Elves are better then men."  
  
Several punches contacted Boromir's face as he struggled to fight back. Haldir's speed was too much for the human. As Boromir hit the ground again, Celeborn pushed past all the soldiers. Blood dripped from Boromir's lip and his right eye was beginning to swell up greatly.  
  
Lord Celeborn sigh reprovingly, "Haldir, Orophin, Rumil...please stay here. The rest of you get back to the barracks." The soldiers scrambled and Boromir tried to follow suit. Celeborn grabbed Boromir's tunic as he struggled.  
  
Nithen stood there, frozen in confusion, anger and a sense of betrayal.  
  
The Lord of the Wood sighed once more, "What is the meaning of this?"  
  
Rumil started, "He was being bold towards Nithen."  
  
Orophin nodded, "That he was." Rumil elbowed him in the side.  
  
Haldir glared at them both, mirth in his half-grin. "I didn't like the way he spoke of my sister, so I let him know him."  
  
"My young friend, try words next time." Celeborn had a broad grin on his face that said he actually didn't mind, but he didn't say anything more. Rumil and Orophin slipped away and Haldir escorted Nithen to her flet. Celeborn glared down at Boromir as his wife approached.  
  
Galadriel helped the man up and brushed the dirt off his shoulders. As he knelt to thank her, she turned her back on him. "You still deserved what you got, you filthy pig."  
  
~~~  
  
R&R plz! Read me and Blue Eyes' fics also!!! 


	10. Further Transgressions

Chapter 10- Further Transgressions  
  
Nithen was smiling to herself a bit, she was happy that her brother's had taken out a bit of their anger on Boromir. She didn't fully understand why she had fled to them as though she was still in pubescence. Half of her was a little afraid of the man's advances. No elves, nor men, had ever shown real interest in her though she knew part of that was because of her brothers keeping them away but she also knew that she was not appealing. Her black hair made her unique among her own people...........she was the soul elf maiden (or elf for that matter) with dark hair in all of Lorien. Also, she was a very blunt elf, she never looked to the sunny side of things and more often then not she was a bit gloomy. But most elves that were near her during her elfling years forgave her because they understood that she was considered cruel to the rest of the world only because the rest of the world had been cruel to her.  
  
She crept to the stream where she had planned to bathe before the Gondorian- Man decided to meet her brothers...........fists. In one part of her heart there was a bit of pity for the man but it was small and insignificant to the humor and entertainment that she found in the whole event. She allowed herself to laugh at the memory for a moment before shedding the last bit of clothing that covered her and stepping into the water up to her neck. Then she went under and swam with the fish for a few minutes before coming back up and simply enjoying the feel of the day's dirt and grim wash off of her. A song came to her and crept past her lips, singing was not a strength of her's but she sang nonetheless:  
  
Tel'duin nie alantie n'ala henin -The river has fallen before my eyes Quesse nie verva ruin- A feather has married a flame Im ante lle a'nauva yavenin- I need you to be my fruit Nauva hwestanin, vananin, a coinin.- Be my breeze, my beauty and my life.  
  
From a distance ears heard her song and perked, it was an old song taught to elflings by their mothers before their first coming out at five hundred. The only trouble that the singer and the listener had in common was that their mothers were both dead long before either of them reached five hundred and they were taught the song by other relatives. Legolas made his way toward the song, wondering who was singing it.  
  
"Where are you going Legolas?" Boromir asked, ever since he had been beaten by the elf he had developed a distaste for being left alone in Lorien's woods.  
  
Legolas did not reply, he was too entranced and he simply continued to walk towards the song until he saw it... the midnight locked maiden was bathing and singing. From a distance he watched her until he suddenly felt the dirt of the past months of travel wearing on him and he cleared his throat, causing the maiden to look in his direction.  
  
"Uma?" {Yes?} She asked.  
  
"Ore manka Im yanwa lle?" {Mind if I join you?} He inquired.  
  
"N'uma." She answered with a slight blush of anticipation as the Mirkwood Prince removed his outer tunic, revealing his pale skin and his arms muscled with many years of army training.  
  
It was not uncommon for elves of the opposite sex to bath together and so even Haldir, who was watching from a tree in the distance, made no move to stop them. The prince was then nude and strode into the cool, clear waters. He swam to Nithen's side and opened his mouth to speak to her when Boromir's voice sounded, "Where are you elf?"  
  
Legolas shook his head, "He is a nuisance."  
  
"You should have abandoned him in Moria." Nithen suggested.  
  
Legolas laughed, "We should just leave him with your brothers."  
  
Nithen cackled evilly at the thought of it, "He wouldn't survive."  
  
Legolas swam up behind her as she laughed and pushed her black hair to one side, she reached back to pull it further to the side but before she could even get a proper grip on it Legolas grabbed her wrist in shock.  
  
"Mani marte a'lle?" {What happened to you?} He asked as he looked at both of her wrists which were still raw from archery earlier.  
  
"Archery." She responded calmly.  
  
He looked her directly in the eyes, "Where was your wrist guard?"  
  
"I refuse to use one."  
  
"Why?" This was a concept Legolas did not understand.  
  
"I didn't want one." She responded before pulling her wrists free of his grasp and saying, "It's not your concern, taren." {prince}  
  
He was about to rebuke that point when she pushed closer to him and began to tenderly unbraid his hair, she occasionally toyed with the extremely sensitive tips of his ears much to his pleasure and dismay. Nithen worked carefully until Legolas' hair streamed down as it naturally would and then she began to wash it for him. He moaned delightedly as her fingers massaged his skin.  
  
"Your very talented with your hands." He complimented her, "But why am I receiving such royal treatment?"  
  
"You are royal."  
  
At that point he turned to face her and pulled her mere inches away from him, "There is far more to me then that."  
  
He leaned in closer towards her, intent on kissing her but she pulled away from his lips and instead kissed his cheek. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her flat against him. Nithen put her hands on her chest and pushed back as far as he would let her.  
  
"You don't want me." She told him.  
  
"I beg to differ."  
  
She stared at him and he saw something that was beautiful in her, but then ice froze over that fair flower, "Leaves and ice do not fair well together, taren." {prince}  
  
He was a little hurt by her refusal, "The sun can melt ice, vana creban." {fair crow}  
  
His grip was looser and she managed to push completely away from him, "Not my ice."  
  
She swam to shore and got dressed, "Do not take offence, taren, just take heed." {prince}  
  
Legolas couldn't even respond to her before she walked away leaving him nursing a throbbing erection and a wounded pride. He wasn't sure of much, but he was sure that a night with her would have been well spent, especially after so many months with just grungy men as company. He craved a woman's touch, a woman's cry, a woman's bed. He craved a woman but now that Nithen had pushed him away his craving dissipated. Boromir emerged laughing maliciously from a nearby bush.  
  
"She wouldn't have you, elf. That must be a hit to your pride, that a beautiful maiden like that won't have you, isn't it?"  
  
"You will never get close enough to her to ask her to have you, Boromir. You would be dead before the words could form on your lips." Legolas retorted, fighting Boromir on the surface of the water but just under it massaging his member enough to dull the pain he was feeling at the moment.  
  
"She would not refuse me, but her brothers do."  
  
"She would sooner die then taste you, Boromir. No elf in these woods would touch you unless it served to bloody you, do you not understand it? We can all sense it, your corrupt heart and your lust for the ring. That lust for the ring makes you lust for other things that you will not find in Lothlorien so leave off the maiden, Man of Gondor." Legolas glared dangerously at Boromir who left, not wanting to acknowledge Legolas' words as true.  
  
Legolas was relieved that the man had left and finally found his release from Nithen's torture...well from one part of it anyway. He had just gotten out of the water when Haldir came up behind him.  
  
"You are a good elf, Legolas."  
  
"Haldir." Legolas stated, a bit startled by the elder elf's sudden appearance.  
  
"You are a good elf, and that is why I let you near her. But her decision is made. Respect that as I do." Haldir words were a threat in disguise and Legolas well knew it. He was a bit embarrassed that Nithen's brother had been watching them but he knew better then to do anything spare agree to Haldir's terms.  
  
"Of course, Haldir."  
  
Haldir smiled and patted Legolas on the shoulder, "As I said, you are a good elf Legolas."  
  
With that Haldir disappeared and Legolas pulled his pants on, thinking, 'At least I shall try to respect her decision...'  
  
He pulled on his tunic and retired to the Fellowship's quarters.  
  
A/N- So sorry for the delay!! Its Blue Eyes and life just hasn't been too inspiring as of late. My daughter of Telcontar fic was pre-written but this chappy I had to think up and I was suffering from some major Writer's Block.. Hope that you aren't disappointed. 


	11. Risaea

Chapter 11- Risaea (Lies)  
  
Young Nithen sat on her bed, thinking about the words that her woodland friend had spoken. Had she been too cold to him? No, even if he was a kind friend, he was still a lustful male...all males were such. Nithen sighed, "Males are useless...except my brothers of course. My brothers were the only ones that I can trust...spare the Lord and Lady of the Wood. They have all been so good to me though, I should not take such blessings for granted."  
  
Her brother meant so much to her, and she knew all three of them did not wish for her to court a male. Nithen's brothers were all she had, it would only be right for her to honor this request, no matter how much her heart tempted her. Her heart was ice, and she had to remember that. Legolas was a kind elf, and he 'was' handsome, but no male elf was worth her brothers' love. Nithen sighed and fell into a restless sleep, dreaming of her dear friend Gandalf.  
  
~  
  
Legolas stepped under the waterfall and let the icy waters wash over his heated body and blond locks as the sun rose. He had spent all night running, and thinking. He had to find a way to earn Nithen's affection. Legolas knew that if he left her behind, he would regret it, though he could not explain this feeling that told him such.  
  
The fellowship was leaving in three days time, and bad omens came to mind whenever he saw himself leaving the young raven in the Golden Wood. The only problem was that brother of hers, Haldir; he was a stubborn and overprotective elf. He shook his head, "She does not seem to be attracted to the idea of love. Perhaps adventure then, would that entice her beautiful spirit?"  
  
As he spoke aloud Rumil walked towards him. "Hmm, you truly want her with you? It shows you know...almost every elf in the wood and can see your affections and even most know you wish to take her with you. I am afraid you ask a lot of my family. We lost our parents and all other relatives to Lord Sauron in the last battle for middle earth and to endanger young Nithen by letting her join you, it does not seem very appealing. Our hearts ache at the thought, Lord Legolas, Nithen is all the innocence we have in our lives and we would like to keep her that way."  
  
The woodland elf swallowed guiltily, "Amin hiraetha nan' amin merna re." {I am sorry but I want her.} He sighed, "I do not know why, and I cannot help it. I do not want to taint her innocence per say; I just want her company. "  
  
Rumil smiled lightly, "I believe you, I would not like to think the son of Thranduil would lie. Your only problem is my eldest brother. Haldir will not be so kind I am afraid. And heed my words, if any injury comes to Nithen, if and when she does join you, I will make you regret your own birth."  
  
Legolas smiled, "I wish my siblings were so protective of me. You love her very much, as do I."  
  
Rumil sighed, "Love is a strong word, be cautious about when you use it."  
  
With that, the mysterious elf was gone as the soldiers began pouring over the hill to bathe. Legolas walked past to blond elves and heard their whispered conversation.  
  
"He's the one that wants the Raven. You know, the one who's heart is tainted ice...dark ice with danger lurking beneath? They say she has never loved, nor will she ever love."  
  
Legolas turned and punched the elf speaking before turning and walking away. He regained his calm air before returning to his friends' flets.  
  
Aragorn smiled, "How are you this morning?"  
  
The elven prince shifted, "Not so well I am afraid. It would seem my intentions of taking another elf along with us have been thwarted somewhat."  
  
The human smiled halfheartedly, "We could use someone who fights like Nithen does. Perhaps I should speak with Haldir myself."  
  
Legolas bit his lip, "I am not so sure that would be wise, my friend."  
  
Gimli loudly woke and walked outside, "Are you two still complaining about that hag of a she-elf?"  
  
Legolas glared menacingly, "At least she is not an ignorant dwarf like yourself!"  
  
Before the two could really get at each other's throats, Aragorn stepped in. "Legolas, perhaps you should go speak with the Lord and Lady whilst I have a chat with Haldir."  
  
Legolas nodded and glared once more at Gimli before walking away. Gimli glared at his back, daring him to turn around. Aragorn rolled his eyes, "Give it a rest little father. Go and wake Boromir and the halflings."  
  
As Legolas walked towards the Lord and Lady's chambers, he saw Nithen practicing with her bow. She wore no armguard and each shot sliced into her arm. When he could stand it no longer, Legolas walked up and placed his hand over her arm.  
  
Nithen shot anyway, and cut Legolas's finger. "Remove your hand Elf Prince."  
  
Legolas shook his head; "You shouldn't do this to yourself."  
  
"It doesn't hurt," was the only response he got.  
  
He tore a piece of his tunic off the bottom and tied it around her wrist. "Every time you remove that, I will replace it with another piece."  
  
Nithen sighed, "That is a nice tunic, you shouldn't have ripped it."  
  
"Then perhaps it will be more incentive for you to use an armguard."  
  
A smile crept over her face as Legolas bowed to her and started to head towards Galadriel's chambers again.  
  
On his way, he encountered one of the halflings. Frodo stood behind a bush, eyeing Nithen. "She is beautiful, isn't she Master Elf?"  
  
Legolas sighed, "Yes, she is quite fair. I hear she is tainted though, and incapable of love."  
  
Frodo laughed lightly, "It cannot be true of such a fair creature."  
  
"I think that myself sometimes. You best get breakfast at camp before Merry and Pippin eat it all." Frodo laughed again and Legolas entered the large dining hall of Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn.  
  
~  
  
Nithen examined the fine cloth wrapped over her bloody arm. His touch had been so tender. She could feel the ice in her stare start to melt as she ran her other hand over the fabric.  
  
In the distance she heard Boromir yelling at the dwarf. 'No, men only wanted her body.' She frosted the melting ice again and returned to her archery as the soft green fabric floated to the forest floor.  
  
~To Be Continued~ 


	12. Vanya Sulie

Chapter 12- Vanya Sulie (Fair Winds)  
  
"Men only want her body." Boromir agreed with Gimli but then Frodo cut in.  
  
"Aye, but we other races of Middle Earth are wise enough to want more."  
  
"Then you have a taste for our fair faced friend as well, Master Baggins?" Boromir asked, jealousy cutting into his tone. He was not a man to share.  
  
"I am wise enough to tell you that neither you nor I stand a great chance if Legolas stands in her ill favor."  
  
"Her brother's ill favor." Boromir murmured.  
  
Frodo rolled his eyes at Boromir, "Don't you see that her brother's ill favor is her own? Her heart is paved with ice and the only way to safely travel it is with her brothers' as guides."  
  
"A point to be taken, though I still cannot see what you admire in her anyway." Gimli snorted.  
  
"I suppose she lacks the stunted growth and facial hair of your dwarf women, then?" Boromir joked but Gimli snarled at him angrily.  
  
Frodo then helped himself to a tray of breakfast, or at least what was left of breakfast now that Merry and Pippin were off terrorizing Lothlorien. As he ate he ignored Boromir's gaze on him for a time until it began to irritate him, "Is there something I can help you with Boromir?"  
  
"Do you honestly have feelings for the she-elf?"  
  
"Be respectful! She is a fair elven maid and I do, I don't see what sighted creature wouldn't." Frodo responded, quickly finishing his meal as he left in a huff, insulted that Boromir would dare to chase after the same female as he and wouldn't even call her by a respectful title.  
  
Meanwhile, Legolas had gone to see the lady, Lord Celeborn was not present at the time.  
  
"I know why you are here, Legolas." Her back was turned to him and her voice floated to his ears, "And I believe that you know my answer."  
  
The wood-elf bowed his head respectfully and responded, "With all due respect, my lady, I do not know the answer."  
  
She turned to face him and he met her gaze with his own, he could barely hold it, "You wish to take our young Crow with you, do you not?"  
  
"I do, there is no denying that."  
  
"You do not realize what it is you truly ask, which is why I think you know my answer."  
  
Legolas' face showed his confusion, "Again, my lady, I do not understand."  
  
"Even you call her 'young raven'. You do not fully understand, Legolas, that this raven's black is deeper then just her hair. You cannot truly understand, just yet, for you are younger then she and were not alive for the horrors she faced during the Last Alliance. Nithen is still in mourning for her parents because she never really understood what death was, having to face it as young as she was it became just an ugly blade that cut her. Something shadow like that she could not grip to kill, so she numbed herself to ease her pain. Now her mind and body, yes her heart too, are cold so that the sting of any wound cannot be felt. I assume that you have seen her in archery?"  
  
Legolas motioned towards the ripped part of his tunic, "I tried to stop her from shooting like that, her wrist may scar from such harsh treatment."  
  
Galadriel smiled, "Your concern is touching, young one, but archery is not the only thing she refuses to wear armor in. I have never seen her wear more then her captain's cape into battle, armor is something she refuses to wear. She has taken many a hurt and yet she won't protect herself."  
  
"Why?!" Legolas was enraged by the thought that she would run into battle without armor on, risking her life for a fight!  
  
"Because she knows that deep inside her all the pain, physical and otherwise, have been kept locked away from her perception, that is why she scarcely feels when she is scratched or burnt or hungry. She would not feel her death creep upon her bones but I know well, as do her brothers, that should that door inside her open and all that pain flood her she would, more likely then not, drown in it. If she is kept here, life shall go on as it is, Nithen will be safe from her pain and will maintain what has become known as her ice. If she goes, she risks loosing that shield and her life."  
  
"She is far too sheltered here, she is my senior and I have known more life then she! Nithen is a crow being smothered in her cage here! Please my lady, allowing her to join us would be a great help to her as well as a great comfort to me."  
  
"A comfort to you how?"  
  
"I would be able to protect her." He said so surely that the lady laughed at him.  
  
"Protect her? Don't you know by now unsheltered one, that protecting something that does not wish to be protected is folly?"  
  
"I do not understand." He admitted.  
  
"I do not shelter her! Nor my husband! Nor her brothers, they just mind that lustful males stay away from her. Nor this wood itself does not truly shelter her! She shelters herself! She chooses to stay here and revel in her shut away pain, her numbness to the world. She loves her ice or have you not noticed? She is afraid to lose it."  
  
Legolas bowed his head, "Then you will not allow her to come."  
  
"Tis not my choice, young prince, tis hers. The Fellowship will be leaving tomorrow, tonight we shall celebrate your journey and drink to your safety. Ask her the question that you have asked me."  
  
Legolas nodded and bowed out of the Lady's chambers, "Yes my Lady."  
  
Legolas walked outside, his pride slightly deflated and his hopes much lowered then previously they had been. He saw the crow firing arrows feverishly into her target, his ripped tunic forgotten on the forest floor. With an angry sigh he ripped another piece off of the bottom and stepped towards her to wrap it around her wrist but when she saw the motion she abruptly stopped firing and grabbing her quiver turned and ran away from him. Like a buck after a doe, they ran through the forest, Nithen running from him and he forever running towards her. Eventually she stopped, for endless hours she had been running! Her anger at his lusty pursuit was at new highs!  
  
She turned and faced him, angrily pushing him against a mallorn, "Mankoi?! Why do you not stop?!" {Why?}  
  
He was taken aback by her words and grabbed her upper arms to stop her from striking him again, "U-mankoi?" {Why not?}  
  
"I want no part of your game! I am happiest the further away from your bed I can get!"  
  
"My bed? My game! What talk is this?" He demanded.  
  
"All men and elves are the same about their maidens! You want us for your pleasure, as your toys and after that night, that day, that week, month, year we mean nothing to you! I will be no one's pet!" She screamed.  
  
"Calm down! I am not trying to hurt you! Not trying to seduce you. Shhhhh." He coaxed her to settle herself enough so that she was no longer fighting against his grip.  
  
Her breathing was coming in pants as Legolas put his arms around her, drawing her closer to him, she closed her eyes as his forehead touched hers, trying to calm her.  
  
"I want none of this." She whimpered, her desire for the prince was great but her fear of his ploy was far greater.  
  
"None of what?" He cooed, "I am not trying to seduce you, I am trying to talk to you."  
  
"You can talk to me from three feet away." She pointed out, their noses touching and her heart was racing with panic.  
  
"Not if I want to persuade you to do something." She cocked an eyebrow as if questioning his motives then and there so he added, "It is not to sleep with me."  
  
"What is it then that it requires such intimacy?"  
  
His lips traced her cheekbone, "I am told you were never one for intimacy, true?"  
  
"True." She closed her eyes, beads of sweat coming to her forehead, she did not wish to be some wood elf's whore! But she could not resist whatever he was doing to her.  
  
"I am told you like the security blanket you have here, that you like to stay away from the pain outside Lorien's borders." His lips hovered centimeters above her eyelids.  
  
"I like to be home." She defended, "Why would I want to leave it?"  
  
"You would not believe the wonders that await you outside this world that you've kept yourself in." With this his pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, it was soft and fleeting for when she opened her eyes he had taken a step back from her and released her from his arms.  
  
"How do I know you are truly concerned about my being caged in the Golden Wood or if the 'wonders' consist of your comfort one late night?" She asked.  
  
At this he took a step fast and hotly toward her so close to her that their lips almost met as he spoke, "Because I do not seduce pretty maidens gently, or shyly. I will admit to being slightly spoiled, therefore when I want something I take it, I do not share and I do not wait. If I were trying to have you, Nithen, know that I would've had you that night in the river. I want you to stretch your wings and fly, fair crow, fly outside these mallorns, I want to see some of that coldness in you feel the sun shine from a place besides this one."  
  
"You are saying you do not want me at all?" She challenged, "That this request to leave isn't based on some desire of yours?"  
  
"There is desire in everything, and I do want you. I do, but I respect that you do not want me." With that he took a step away from her and looked in her eyes, "Those who can see your fairness will always crave you, Nithen, that is the way of the world, you must surely know. I wish to have your company in the Fellowship, I think you would be an asset to us. I do not wish you for my selfish reasons alone, I think the air of Rauros will do you well. What say you?"  
  
Nithen took a bold step forward, "My place is here. I want that, and I like you, always have what I want."  
  
She turned to leave and he called after her, "That is a lie, you do not always have what you want."  
  
She turned and asked him mockingly, "Do I not, young prince?"  
  
"You do not have some answers to questions buried deep in your heart, and you shall never find them inside Lorien's border."  
  
She came back to face him, tears in her eyes of memories and questions left unsolved, and she slapped him smartly across his face, "Never speak to me of things you do not understand."  
  
Then Nithen was taken by a sudden impulse and pressed her lips against his again, heatedly tasting him before softening the motion, making it into a gentle kiss and looking at the skyline, "It is morning already, dawn has come."  
  
Legolas lifted his eyes to the scene and saw she was right, together they silently ran to the boats and after that were gathered so that Galadriel might present them with parting gifts. She handed Nithen a bow and instructed her to give it to the Mirkwood Prince when the time came. Legolas kept pleading to her with his eyes, kept silently asking if her decision was final. When the time came Galadriel nodded to Nithen and she stepped down, extending her arms to Legolas, bearing the bow, "A Galadhrim bow for the great skill of our Woodland kin, Prince Legolas."  
  
Legolas bowed his head and graciously accepted the gift, he had a desire to finger the string and test its strength but there were other questions on his mind. He watched as the others received their presents and Nithen no longer presented any. When they were dismissed to go to their boats Legolas fell in step next to Nithen, "I noticed that there was no gift in Gandalf's memory."  
  
Nithen shook her head painfully, "We have nothing great enough for Mithrandir in these woods."  
  
Legolas took her hand in his, "I will ask you one last time, fair one, is your decision to not join the Fellowship final?"  
  
"Final indeed, my place is with my family."  
  
"Family is always a good thing to be with." Boromir's voice cooed to her right and she dropped Legolas' hand so that she could face the man.  
  
"Did you not receive enough in parting, Son of Denethor?" She asked coldly.  
  
"I wish for more, my lady, as any man so taken by your face would want." He was trying to speak prettily but the elves that heard him were containing laughter at his words, "I would desire a taste of a nectar before I leave, a honey that thrives on your lips."  
  
Nithen laughed in his face, "I think not."  
  
With that Haldir, Rumil, and Orophin came up menacingly behind him and roughly pushed him into a boat. Frodo then walked up to Nithen nervously, "Namarie vana creban." {Farewell, fair crow.}  
  
She bowed to him, "Farewell, Master Baggins."  
  
He kissed her hand, "The vision of your loveliness shall be a great comfort to me on this journey, I wish you the brightest of days."  
  
She smiled at him, a rare thing for her to smile, "Diolla lle. And I hope that the only winds you face are fair ones, Frodo of the Shire." {Thank you.}  
  
She leaned down on kissed his forehead and he smiled at her and bowed before hopping into Aragorn's boat with new wings on his heart. Legolas took her hand and brought it to his lips as well, out of the corner of his eye he saw Haldir watching him like a prison guard for one step to go out of line.  
  
"Im irmea Vanya sulie a'lle, vanima creban." {I wish fair winds to you, beautiful crow.} He cooed and she bowed her head, "A'lle quen." {And you as well.}  
  
Nithen made to leave but Legolas cupped her cheek in his hands and with a fleeting glance to Haldir, captured her lips for a brief moment, openly showing his affection. He pulled away from her and she touched his hand, "Ten'rashwe, ten-or a'mor." {Be careful, the days are dark.}  
  
He bowed his head and hopped into his boat as Rumil and Orophin each put a hand on Haldir, restraining him from killing the Mirkwood prince then and there. He then glared at Aragorn openly. When they were a ways from Lorien Frodo, who had noticed Haldir's look to Aragorn, questioned it, "Why did Haldir look so enraged at you when Legolas kissed Nithen?"  
  
Aragorn smirked and said loudly enough for Legolas to hear, "Because he told me to keep Legolas in check and away from Nithen, he doesn't trust the prince to do it himself."  
  
At this the company laughed all except for Boromir, who's thoughts grew darkerâE¦..  
  
To be continued.  
  
A/N- Hello, again sorry for the delay this is Blue Eyes, howdy everyone! Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Review please! And don't forget Tainted Elf's other story Mystery of Love or my other story The Daughter of Telcontar. 


	13. I' Eryn Ereb

Chapter 13- I' Eryn Ereb (The Lonely Forest)  
  
Nithen sighed, 'It is so quiet again. Strange, the forest seems empty.' The same forboding feeling she got when the Fellowship left, appeared again. 'Dark days are coming...so close...so soon.'  
  
Haldir walked into the flet, "You did not sleep." It was a statement, not a question. "Was I wrong to tell the Greenwood Prince that you did not care for him?"  
  
The little crow's eyes widened. "No brother! I do not harbor feelings for the prince, I am just worried for them. Every time I think of what lies in wait for them, I feel like a horrible storm is brewing. All I have seen are poor omens."  
  
Her older brother smiled, "Come now, pen neth." {Little one.}  
  
As he reached out to touch her shoulder, she shrugged away. "I am not little anymore. I am strong too brother." Her words were harsh, and she regretted them for a moment before walking out of the flet. "I have guard duty."  
  
Haldir stood there for a moment, 'Are her icy walls melting? She seemed too vulnerable there. I must speak with the Lady.' With that, the tall elf walked towards the Lady Galadriel's chambers.  
  
~  
  
Nithen on the other hand, was back to training. Her arm was too raw to shoot today, all the skin had been scrapped off and Haldir had forced a bandage onto her arm. Today, she would work on her swordsmanship.   
  
She drew her mother's elven sword. It shined like it had the day her mother received it. Nithen had taken excellent care of this blade, it was all she had from her parents. Quickly, she swung the blade through the air, listening to it hum. Again, she swung the heavy sword.  
  
After a few more strokes, she had fallen into her pattern. To anyone watching it looked more like an elegant dance. Her body knew exactly how to flow with the sword. Suddenly, the blade stopped.  
  
Nithen opened her eyes again and saw Naurion, her old friend, countering her stroke. A fire burned in his grey eyes. Naurion was elvish for 'fire lord' and when one saw him in battle, it was clear why. The boy before her could slay a beast three times his size without even breaking a sweat.  
  
The two stood like that for a moment, staring at one another. That was when Nithen saw the look Naurion was giving her. He was watching her as if she were his prey. She was not prey to any man. Nithen retracted her sword and brought it around for another attack.  
  
Metal met metal, skill clashed against skill. A even match, though Nithen was the better archer. Finally, Naurion slid the sword from her grip and pointed his at her chest.  
  
Angrily, Nithen put up her hands in defeat. Naurion straightened up and smiled, "You are much better now. The blade is still a bit heavy for you, but you have improved."  
  
She snarled; "If you are here to lecture me, I am in no mood."  
  
Sometimes Naurion was reminded more of a caged cat then a crow when he looked at Nithen. "I am not trying to lecture you. I was praising you. Is something wrong?"  
  
Nithen picked up her blade and sheathed it, "No. I was set on training alone today."  
  
Naurion smiled, showing the boyish charm Nithen remembered from their youth. "Come on Nithen. One more round, if you can beat me I will leave you alone."  
  
She studied her friend for a moment, "And if I lose?"  
  
There was another pause of silence, "Then I get to kiss you."  
  
Unbeknownest to Naurion, that was definetly the wrong thing to say at the moment. Nithen unsheathed her blade and lunged at him, "You are just like every other male!"  
  
Naurion quickly realized she was taking him up on his sparring offer, she was actually trying to hurt him. Quickly, he deflected her swings and jabs while maneuvering the duel out into the open where he could move better.  
  
Nithen did not stop, in fact, her eyes seemed to burn with rage. Naurion became worried and finally swung back so hard that Nithen's sword flew from her hand and clattered to the forest floor some feet away.  
  
Now unarmed, Nithen charged him with her bare hands. Naurion quickly sheathed his own blade and caught her hands. "Nithen. I don't want to hurt you, please stop."  
  
She grinned, "Well I want to hurt you, and pain is a small price for such victory Prince. You are just like all the other men Legolas!"  
  
Things started to add up in Naurion's mind and he remembered when Prince Legolas kissed Nithen at his departure. "Nithen, it's Naurion. I am not Legolas. Nithen!"  
  
The young elven girl blinked several times and realized what she was doing. Immediately, she dropped Naurion's hands and sunk to the floor. "Amin hiraetha." {I am sorry.}  
  
Naurion smiled, "It is no matter. I did win though."  
  
Nithen's eyes hesitantly glanced down at Naurion's soft lips and back to his eyes. Slowly, she fell towards his lips.  
  
Involintarily, as if she was being drawn to him by an outside force, her lips met his hesitantly. The soft feel of his lips made her heart thump rapidly.  
  
Naurion brought his arm around to bring her closer, and Nithen pulled away. "Amin hiraetha..." {I am sorry.} Nithen did not say another word, she just stood and walked away silently. Her footsteps did not even make the slightest sound, only a the soft sound of her breathing...which somewhat resembled sobs.  
  
The elfling slowly rose in turn, and walked back to his flet. That kiss had racked his brain. "Nithen...we are just friends...am I right?"  
  
~  
  
Haldir stood from his sitting position as Lady Galadriel walked into the room. "Lady."  
  
Galadriel smiled, "I was told you wished to have a word with me...go on."  
  
After a deep breath Haldir spoke. "I think Nithen may have had feelings for the Prince of Mirkwood."  
  
"I know that." Galadriel did not look at all surprised. "She did, but she is young and innocent. He is not what she needs right now."  
  
Haldir shifted oddly, "It just doesn't seem right to me. If she feels that way, shouldn't we let her experience that?"  
  
Galadriel suddenly grew stiff, "Haldir, I am afraid not. Her trauma is too serious. Just let her lived the sheltered life she has. We cannot let her drown in her world of pain."  
  
A frown claimed Haldir's face and he walked out of the room. "Good day Lady."  
  
Some how, he felt sorry for his sister. Poor Nithen could never safely love someone, or she would drown. Haldir hated it, but he could not let his sister drown in a pain so strong.  
  
~~~To Be Continued~~~  
  
This is Tainted Elf! Sorry for the delay, I was in Europe.  
  
PS: Read my stories!  
  
PSS: If you like GW (Gundam Wing) read my friend's stories. Her penname is Trowa-chan and the story is 'Quatre's folly'  
  
Love you all, byebye! 


	14. Meleth Dagor Rwal

A/N- This is Blue Eyes, please don't disown my writing, I promise to update soon!  
  
Chapter 14- When Love Wars Lust  
  
Naurion was sprawled out on the limb of a tree, his head was in the clouds or it would've been if there were any. He was staring absently at the stars and reflecting on his...eventful day. He had almost been killed. He wouldn't admit it in the company of anyone but today he had felt a serious threat for his life and his elfhood at Nithen's hands. Perhaps she was just upset, it looked as though she and the Mirkwood Prince were either very close, close or .. well, lovers. He had never known Nithen to allow an elf what she had allowed the Prince, public affection without rebuke. Even he, who had been her close friend for all the long and painful years of her life, had tasted her sweet lips briefly and opened his eyes to see her running away with a sob on her sigh. Nithen hadn't mentioned a word to him about Legolas, except for confusing the two of them, and since it was the first time she had done anything like that it hurt.  
  
He didn't know how to feel, he would forgive her anything and felt as though she needed to forgive him, he had made her cry for some reason and it was wrong to make someone cry. He wanted to be with her now, to hold her as she cried and stroke that ebony hair to calm her. He wished that he understood what had happened but he did not.  
  
He had found her training alone and began a bout with her. After winning he had set a challenge to her, if she could beat him the second time round, he would leave her alone. If he won she would have to let him kiss her, she agreed by trying to kill him. But he won his kiss, he recalled the sweet whisper of motion, just the slightest hint of his mouth against hers.  
  
He wanted more, Elbereth knows he wanted more but when he tried to draw her closer to him, he only succeeded in making her run away from him. And now he kept recalling that kiss, and kept asking himself if he wanted her friendship or her hand; for the life of him he could not choose.  
  
***  
  
Legolas sighed, he kept paddling down the river but he wasn't completely concentrated on what he was doing. It had been a day since they had left Lorien but the Golden Wood had not stopped its plaguing of his mind. Her words echoed in his ears and sounded hollow and distant,  
  
"All men and elves are the same about their maidens! You want us for your pleasure, as your toys and after that night, that day, that week, month, year we mean nothing to you! I will be no one's pet!"  
  
It had almost been fear, fear of something unknown making her voice quake, "I want none of this."  
  
Her head was bowed as if in defeat, he was only trying to talk to her! She had run from him! And surely after their little encounter in the pool she would not be shy! Nithen had not kissed him that day, parting from her and Lorien, like a maid who was shy; she kissed him like a maid that was inexperienced. It reminded him of her tone, she was afraid but he could not think why, she was inexperienced and he could not for the life of him guess why.  
  
After hearing her tone, seeing the fear yet acceptance in her body and face all he had wanted to do was make love to her and show her that there was nothing to be afraid of. Just like that night in the pool, she told him that they could not be together, the response coming as almost a defense so that she wouldn't have to touch him. All he wanted to do was take her in his arms and show her that she had nothing to fear from him... but he hadn't..... How he regretted it.  
  
Legolas sighed, her face never left his mind, whenever he closed his eyes he felt her lips brush against his, he could still taste them! He was hopelessly fascinated by this creature, by this lovely maid and he couldn't decide whether it was because she was possibly the most beautiful maiden he had ever seen or because he had this urge in him to help her, to protect her and help her escape that icy prison she had put herself in and protect her from all the barbs that would be thrown at her once she escaped.  
  
He sighed and whispered, "Im tira ten'rashwe yassen he, re dona ai'duin pel duin." {I must be careful with her, she is a little river going towards a big river.}  
  
Legolas shook his head to clear his mind, 'What am I thinking? I may never see her again.'  
  
But somehow he knew that he would. He knew that he would be seeing her, and he felt that it would be soon.  
  
With that thought making his heart lighter he paddled as Gimli sang a coarse song in Dwarvish and didn't even feel bothered by it. Nothing bothered him, not the harshness of their mission or the fact that he could die on it; nothing bothered him, that is, until they landed their boats for the night.  
  
Aragorn gave the signal for them to paddle to shore and as Legolas did, Boromir rammed the side of his boat. Boromir frowned a little deeper then he had been and apologized but Legolas could sense that he didn't mean a word of it. When they had settled and Sam had set to cooking, Aragorn smoking his pipe and keeping an eye on Frodo who was just sitting by the waters edge staring into space, Merry and Pippin were waiting by Sam to get the first morsel of food and Gimli was sharpening his axe. That left Boromir and Legolas, who was singing softly under his breath.  
  
Boromir watched the elf, he could not help but think back to Lorien when Nithen had openly laughed at his attempts at her but had allowed Legolas to steal a kiss from her without any rebuke. Finally the injustice of it all caused a snort to emit from him, a noise that pulled the elf out of his reverie.  
  
"What is it, Boromir?" He asked.  
  
The man hesitated a moment before saying, "Re dona vanima, dona u-re?" {She is beautiful, is she not?}  
  
Legolas' eyes widened suspiciously, "Who has taught you the tongue of the Fair Folk?"  
  
"It does not matter," the Gondorian countered, "what matters here is the resolving of a matter."  
  
"A sina dona?" {And that is?} Legolas asked, fully believing that Boromir might have learned a few scarce phrases in elvish and was hoping to catch the man.  
  
"Nithen.....dona re u-vana?" {Is she not beautiful?}  
  
"Re done, ikotane vanima." {She is, so beautiful.}  
  
"On this we agree, a strong willed fiery little she-elf."  
  
"Watch your mouth Boromir!" Legolas exclaimed, "Do not insult her so!"  
  
"Frodo said the same thing, I think it rather funny how possessive you both are of her. She's not yours Legolas."  
  
"Nor is she yours, Gondorian."  
  
"But I at least know that. I did not sit around daydreaming about her," the man smiled evilly, "I did not call out for her in my sleep to fetch our child from the house and follow me."  
  
Legolas blushed slightly, he had not known why he had dreamt that but he had. A few nights ago he had been thinking about a good many things. His father, before they had parted in Mirkwood, had commented on how Legolas should look for a Rivendell maiden as he had rejected all the ones in Mirkwood. Legolas remembered how his father would show him maid after maid and comment on how their children would look. For some reason, those thoughts had mated with ones of Nithen and produced his odd dream, not that he hadn't enjoyed it. He was old in the eyes of the elves to marry, but he still wanted a family, a wife... he wanted them but feared he would never have them. Elven marriages typically take place between 50 and 100 and he was well over that.  
  
Boromir saw that he had hit a spot on the elf and would not relent, "I may want her but I know exactly *how* I want her, Legolas. I do not fool myself with notions of love and pretty words that are more false then true! I want her in my bed, Legolas, I want to feel that little body writhe underneath me and I want to be inside her, I want her to scream out my name I want to hear her voice calling for me to go harder and faster. I want those thin legs wrapped around my hips, and those strong hands of her's would be of better use stroking my member then stroking her damned arrows. I want those rosy lips swollen and bruised from mine, I want them on my body from head to *head* to toe, Legolas and I do not deny that! She may not be mine but I don't want a wife, I want a warm, flexible body for the night. What do you want elf, or do you even know?"  
  
In a fit of rage Legolas jumped on Boromir, his hands around the man's throat and closing off all the air that begged to pass. He shook the man violently raising his head just to hit it against the ground. But Boromir was not at a complete disadvantage he did his best to strangle Legolas just as Legolas was trying to strangle him.  
  
It was Aragorn and Gimli (backed by all four hobbits) that pried to two off each other. Boromir grinned evilly, pleased that he had set the Prince off so, "Is that what you want, Legolas? To be her valiant defender from all other suitors!"  
  
"Just from you, Boromir, just from you." The elf growled.  
  
"Why just me? I am not the only one who desires her! Ask Frodo what he wants from her!"  
  
Frodo stuck out his chin indignantly, "I want her happiness, I would simply see her happier then see is and I would be content to simply envision that I will never have."  
  
Boromir was fighting against Aragorn's grasp and Legolas was barely restrained by the four hobbits and dwarf, Boromir laughed maliciously at the hobbit hoping to distract him and get Legolas to attack him instead of Boromir so that the man would have the chance to get at the ring and a shot at Legolas' pretty little face.  
  
"Come now Master Baggins, surely your thoughts are not as pure as you make them out to be! We are all men here! Admit it! You don't want her love you want her sex!"  
  
Frodo's face was red and flushed with embarrassment, "Fine, I want what anyway grown man wants, but I do respect her."  
  
Legolas swung a fist around and hit Frodo in the jaw, "Respect her more little one."  
  
After Frodo went down and everyone else rushed to his side, Boromir and Legolas faced each other as two men about to duel to the death. Although they had only words as weapons, the blows would be as deadly.  
  
"Tell me that your thoughts for Nithen are as innocent as that angelic face of yours, tell me to my face Legolas." Boromir growled, bent on breaking the elf.  
  
Legolas' face broke into an evil smirk, "I want in every way you do but there is more to my desire then sex alone but even if there were not Boromir, please be comforted by the fact that I have seen and felt more of her then you shall ever see or feel. I have tasted those honeyed lips and you never shall. She may not be mine, Gondorian, but she is more so then she will ever be yours."  
  
Boromir's jealousy was great but just then Aragorn put a hand on each of their shoulders firmly and said, "Calm down both of you and get some sleep. Put the maid behind us, we have a mission to complete."  
  
Both man and elf nodded in steely resolve that one of them would win Nithen and one of them would loose her, they did not even consider the Hobbit as part of the competition, they just made a silent agreement that one of them would know Nithen, have her body, mind and soul.  
  
Aragorn saw this and he pushed Boromir towards the fire to get some dinner and led Legolas to the woods a few feet and whispered to him, "I cannot believe what I have just seen."  
  
"Mani?" {What?}  
  
"I thought I just saw the Prince of Mirkwood strike the Ring bearer, I thought I saw Thranduil's son beat a mortal man for words he would normally attribute to ignorance and lust, I thought I saw Legolas Greenleaf proud leader of soldiers and elves, go into a common man's little game intent on playing it."  
  
Legolas realized the truth in Aragorn's words and looked away from his friend, ashamed of his actions, ashamed that he had let his mission fall from his mind. He was supposed to be protecting Frodo and here he was assaulting him, "Dona Frodo tereva?" {Is Frodo fine?}  
  
"En rant." {Of course.} Aragorn replied, "I don't know why you would bring yourself to such a low level, would you ever even consider treating Nithen the way you are acting like you would?"  
  
Nithen.... visions of big innocent blue eyes washed with a desire they did not understand and were terrified of locked with his own. Nithen....the crow who kept herself in a cage, who could not stand the thought of being in a man's bed, who shuttered at the thought of becoming someone's lover fearing to become their whore. How could he ever think to force her into that?  
  
"Elbereth n'uma!" {No} He cried out in a disgusted tone, "N'uma! U-oio!" {No Never}  
  
"I'm glad you realize that now." Aragorn patted his shoulder, "When love and lust war, sometimes we forget ourselves."  
  
Legolas nodded numbly as he and Aragorn made their way back to camp, "Yes, we do."  
  
A/N- What do you think? 


	15. The Once Little Crow

A/N- Blue Eyes again, hi. I'm trying to keep everything updated I really am.  
  
Chapter 15- The Once Little Crow  
  
Naurion had not slept in a week, every night he tried to dream and could only think of her and her lips and how much more he wanted. She was plaguing him and he was glad of it, he could not get enough of her. For seven days now he had been contemplating exactly how to approach his friend. The Crow was not known for her taste in elves, or males of any sort, she was known for keeping them away; but the Mirkwood Prince had changed all of that. Naurion had made up his mind that Nithen and the Prince had been lovers and that there was a good chance that she would not wish to go to bed with him so soon after Legolas' departure, but he would tell her how he felt at least. He owed her that, they had been friends for so long and they never kept any secrets from one another, now was no time to begin.  
  
It did not take long to find her; she was in the archery ranges but there were no arrows in her target. Nithen was sitting under a tree with her knees brought up to her chest and her bow balancing on her legs. Her arrows were hung on a low branch and she had a distant look in her eyes, she was in deep thought and the thoughts were not pleasant.  
  
"Nithen?" He asked and she started, "Naurion! I did not see you."  
  
"Going blind my old friend? I was standing right there."  
  
She smiled sadly, "I was thinking too hard, it's almost like blindness."  
  
He took a seat beside her at her invitation and sighed deeply before prying, "May I ask what you were thinking of?"  
  
"I had the oddest of dreams last night; it was so real, so close. I could smell and see and hear and feel, even taste, everything going on! I am sure that it has happened in reality, I am sure I was seeing the goings on of the Fellowship and what I see disturbs me." She blushed, "It should not but it does."  
  
"Mani, Nithen? Mani dona ta kaimeline-lle?" {What Nithen? What is it you have dreamed?}  
  
"I saw the Gondorian and the Mirkwood Prince, they were arguing, violently arguing. They had to be pulled off of one another by the rest of the Fellowship, Legolas even hit Frodo." She paused as the events flashed before her eyes.  
  
Boromir and all the horrible things he said! And Frodo! She had thought him such a sweet hobbit, but he was still male under all that fur! Her hand trembled on her bow as she thought of Legolas, she had thought that he was at least more kind then the Gondorian pig but he was no better when he was not trying to win her.  
  
"They were fighting over me, they were fighting over who has the right to me. Over who would bed me and what they would do, over which one I would accept and which I would toss aside even Legolas. Even Frodo!" She cried out.  
  
Naurion's vision turned red in rage, "How DARE they! How DARE they even think such thoughts! You are not one's trinket to be fought over! You have your own mind and your own will! Tis your choice not theirs!"  
  
He stood up and took a dagger from his belt, hurling it into the target's eye and still fuming. Nithen stood and told him, "Tis nothing to be so upset over. I thought it was real, it may not be."  
  
Then she shook her head, "It cannot be, it isn't. Such a thing cannot have happened."  
  
"And why not Nithen? Is it so hard to believe that men would argue over you? That men would want you and not want others to want you? For you to be theirs and theirs alone, is it so hard to believe that someone could desire you Nithen?"  
  
"Yes, it is. Besides, the Gondorian may be that blunt and that harsh but the Hobbit and the Mirkwood Prince-"  
  
"Yes, yes, darling Legolas is beyond reproach! Did you not think that he would at least defend his right to you from such raving men as Boromir?"  
  
Nithen's eyes widened in confusion, "What right has he to me?"  
  
Naurion studied her a moment and tried to figure out whether she was genuinely confused or being sarcastic, "You were the only thing he could see that last day, and he was in your eyes nearly the entire time. The only moment I saw either of you look away was when he kissed you and you closed your eyes. He, I would wager, was trying to defend you from the Gondorian and was then lost in his passion for you. He is a good elf, even I shall admit it. But the Man and the Hobbit I do not trust completely, please Nithen, you are beyond old enough to know that males will forever be attracted to the best female they can find and they will seduce her and compliment her and try to win her, they will wage wars over the woman and they will kill any other man who tries to take her. That is what men do, Nithen, that is the way of males. We take what we want and we keep it, I am quite sure that you were brought up in conversation among the Fellowship for you made a lasting impression on all its members. Although I maintain that their thoughts were uncalled for and their decisions were not theirs to make, I scold you for dismissing it."  
  
He took a calming breath and put a hand on her shoulder, "Why have you never grown up, my crow? Why do you still think that you can hide away behind your coldness and no one will inquire? No one will look and like what they see?"  
  
"Because I am not worth the effort it would take to break through all of my barriers. I am not worth the trouble I would cause; if men would only understand this my life would be far simplified." Nithen pushed away the memory of how easy, how fast she had been close to giving in to Legolas when he wasn't even trying to seduce her. How frightening that had been, one of her nightmares of late.  
  
"Not worth it?" Naurion laughed, "How can you not be worth it?"  
  
His rage was gone as he stared at her and he cleared his throat roughly, "Perhaps I should scold myself, for the past week I have been carrying on a debate much like the Fellowship's."  
  
Nithen perked an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.  
  
"I have been wondering who has the right to you, the Wood-elf or I. I have dwelt on this for days and now I see that only you can truly tell me, only you can truly choose." He cupped her face, "Please choose Nithen, please choose."  
  
Nithen's eyes widened and she pushed his hand away, "What do you speak of? I do not understand!"  
  
"Surely you do, my eyes were nearly green with envy when he kissed you. When you kissed him back. Everyone saw Nithen and everyone talks. Is our Crow no longer little? Has she taken the Wood-elf as her lover? Can she no longer be sought after? Or can she? Has she not bedded the prince or did it mean nothing to her?" his eyes were full of all his unvoiced fears and worries about Legolas and Nithen, "Has *my* Crow fallen in love? Or might I still love her?"  
  
She gasped and pushed Naurion away from her, "How dare you say such things to me! How dare you!"  
  
"Just tell me what's true Nithen! Just tell me that!" He shouted at her, the fear of rejection tightening his chest so he could hardly breathe.  
  
She pouted and took a deep breath, "Legolas is not my lover. We kissed, once we bathed together and he tried to bed me but I would not have it. What you saw is what happened. He does not love me I do not love him and you do not love me, Naurion. You cannot love me."  
  
Her lip trembled as she spoke and he put a hand on her back, "Why can't I? Why can't I love you?"  
  
"Stop saying it Naurion else you be bound to it!"  
  
"Why can't I, Nithen?"  
  
"Because I don't love you. I don't love you, I don't love anyone. Besides I could never think of you as anything but my friend, you are nearly a brother to me."  
  
Naurion took a hurt step away from her, "I see, your oldest dearest friend cannot care for you, the idea is absurd! I am the one you told your secrets to! Who was there for you when your parents were killed?"  
  
"MY BROTHERS!"  
  
"AND ME!" He growled, "And I was there when the others began to taunt you for your queerness! I was there for you when the world hated you and when you hated the world! I was the shoulder you cried on and the target you practiced on and your confidant! But no! I cannot love you! I cannot want you! No! It's ridiculous, it's absurd! It's out of the question that I can have more then a stolen kiss from you Nithen! But Legolas! Ai, Legolas! The Golden Prince from Mirkwood, he can steal more then a kiss! He can see your body in all its naked glory! He can touch you and crave you and is allowed to do so! He can desire you and want you! An elf you knew for less then a moon can desire you, an elf that knows nothing about you except that you're beautiful can want you but I cannot!"  
  
Nithen fell to her knees and began sobbing wildly, "I cannot control my heart!"  
  
"Of course you can't! It doesn't even beat!"  
  
Naurion turned to walk away from her but found himself face to face with Haldir. The elder elf grabbed the front of Naurion's tunic and lifted him about four inches off the ground. Naurion kicked out angrily screaming, "Let me go! Let me go!"  
  
Two figures emerged to stand beside Haldir, they were Rumil and Orophin, ready to pounce at a moments notice.  
  
"I think you owe my sister a very sincere apology." Haldir hissed.  
  
"Tis far passed the time that someone should have told her the truth! You raised an innocent pure hearted girl and a wanton woman shall emerge from it! All of a sudden that shield of her's shall fall and she shall want more of the world then any of you would ever allow her! She will no longer be that little fledgling you reared!"  
  
Haldir clamped a hand over Naurion's throat to cease the boy's wounding words, "Sister!"  
  
Nithen looked up from her sobbing, her big tear stained eyes were a reason all their own.  
  
"Shall I deal with him or do you want me to let him go?" Haldir asked, he would not upset his sister by beating up the boy again like he had years ago.  
  
"I don't want to see him anymore, take him away Haldir." She responded her eyes seemed impossibly huge, "Please?"  
  
Haldir smiled wickedly, "I shall be happy to little one."  
  
Rumil and Orophin went over to their sister and kissed her cheeks and told her to go home and rest, to let them deal with Naurion and his rudeness without her as a witness and she replied, "Tereva." {Fine.}  
  
But before leaving she looked Naurion straight into his eyes, "Did you want another kiss?"  
  
"En rant." {Of course.}  
  
She gave his lips a swift connection before pulling back and slapping him, his head snapping sharply to one side, "That is all you shall ever receive from me."  
  
She walked away then, heading in the direction of home, her room, her safe- haven where none could hurt her. Nothing ever penetrated these walls with ill intent. She was safe there, more then safe, it was like she was in the womb again, she was perfectly surrounded and nothing could reach her, nothing at all.  
  
Rumil slammed a fist into Naurion's jaw before Orophin jabbed him in the ribs. The loud crack followed by a pained moan signaled that Naurion had just had a rib snapped, an unpleasant experience. Haldir dropped the elf on the ground and kicked him in the small of his back so that the younger elf threw his head back in a yell of pain. Rumil gripped the boy's hair as Orophin drew a blade from his pocket and placed it over Naurion's throat, Haldir was nearly purring with sadistic satisfaction.  
  
"I love my sister, Naurion, as do Rumil and Orophin. We all love her greatly. We do not wish to see her hurt in any way, shape or form. The barrier she has formed around herself, as you say, must one day come down but we cannot have you hacking away at it. Her ice must be melted carefully or else she will die purely by the amount of grief that she has suppressed for so many millennia. Be careful around her and with her."  
  
The blade was removed from the young one's throat but a swift hit from a balled fist to his stomach had him doubled over and nearly vomited.  
  
"I shall spare you but if I *ever* hear a single utterance from Nithen about you hurting her in even the most minute way, I shall not spare you again."  
  
The three brothers stalked off leaving the boy to sit in his pain and his misery and lament what he had said and done.  
  
He had not truly meant a word of it to hurt her, he would never hurt her. But he had, and now he would pay the price for his foolishness, "I pray that the elf she chooses treats her better then I did, I who claim to love her. I pray she known no more pain in her life, Elbereth knows that she has seen enough of it."  
  
"Im hiraetha." He whispered to the air, "Im hiraetha." {I'm sorry.}  
  
Naurion felt a tear slide down his face and he pushed it away with his fist, looking up to the sky despairingly, "So you have chosen to dwell under greener leaves, have you my Crow?"  
  
With that he stood and walked to his home, wanting to just stay away from life because it seemed so cruel to him now that he should deserve her but that Legolas should win her. But he found that even though he dreamed of her, he began to slowly accept this, began to slowly understand that she did not want to be his and that he could either grieve himself into his grave over it or he could accept it and be happy for him and happier for her. In his dream there was a Nithen sitting beside Legolas and laughing as she had never laughed to his knowledge, with her head thrown back and her whole form shaking with mirth and then there was the object of her laughter, the playful antics of two small pale haired elflings rolling around under the bright noon sun.  
  
****  
  
Galadriel was on a balcony over looking all of Lothlorien, she had seen the verbal and physical exchange between Nithen's family and Naurion and agreed. Nithen had to be broken far more gently then that, it would be cruel and deadly to simply shove her into the real world, it would be the end of her. Nonetheless, the boy need not be beaten.  
  
*Haldir, the army will always need those in their youth able and willing to fight. Do not disable the boy.* She had told Haldir when he had first stumbled upon his young sister sobbing in the ground with her former friend as the cause, and he had followed it, his brothers' following his example and although the boy was injured and wounded (in more then one way) he would be far improved come the morning.  
  
The air was stiff in the sky this day, even the bright sun seemed veiled by some great darkness. Nithen was right; the Fellowship was breaking, as they had been for a time. Now their differences would come to the surface, the races could try to solve this together but in the end only one could carry the burden. And that one had already been chosen. The two humans had their own parts to play still; Legolas would be a player for a time. Gimli and the other three Hobbits would be of importance but none of them would be of vast importance together. It was only separate that the true goals of the Fellowship could be accomplished, as well as a few other goals held dear by each member of the Fellowship.  
  
****  
  
Nithen moped around in her house for a day or so, mourning not the icy words of her childhood friend, but the vision she had been granted. Ithil's light was now shining through her window and the mallorn leaves outside almost shone silver. Nithen had to admit, she did prefer the light of Ithil to the light of Anor. Once most of Lorien had gone to rest, spare the night watchmen, she ventured out in a light robe and headed straight for Galadriel's chambers. The guard stopped her.  
  
"Amin na sinome quen yassen Hiril Galadriel." {I am here to speak with Lady Galadriel.}  
  
The guard nodded and went in to make sure the Lady was awake. Sure enough, moments later, Galadriel led Nithen onto the balcony. "What is troubling you, my little warrior?"  
  
Nithen stared seriously into Galadriel's eyes. "I have had a vision, another one. This time, my vision was of the Fellowship. They are falling apart. Split as they are, trials approach that may swallow them all. Saruman's army is growing at a massive rate and is almost ready to march on Rohan. We must aid them, Lady Galadriel, we must! If Rohan should fall, with Gondor in it's weakened state, the last great cities of men shall fall! Once, there was an alliance between men and elves, we need to respect that alliance now!"  
  
Lady Galadriel stood straighter, towering over Nithen as she spoke. "Young one, you do not understand the ways of politics yet. If we were to aid them, would we win?"  
  
"I have foreseen it Lady, please!" Nithen's darker blue eyes glowed with earnest.  
  
Something about Lady Galadriel changed and she spoke in a condescending manner to the young elf. "If we were to leave them to their own demise, then what? Would that precious Prince from Eryn Lasgallen perish too? Is that why you wish to save them? So that your Prince of the Woodland realm will come back to you? He will not."  
  
Nithen's eyes swelled with angry tears. "You have not seen what I have! If you will not defend them, then I shall go myself! I may only be one elf but I can try my hardest! I may loose my life but at least it was in a noble way! I was not hiding away, hoping the war would forget about the elves!"  
  
Galadriel finally grew angry, reining her temper a bit before speaking to Nithen. "I see things myself young elf and I have been seeing them far longer than you have been walking these woods. I would not talk to me about the inevitable and aiding the humans, you do not yet understand that your visions are not what 'will' happen, but what 'may' happen."  
  
The young warrior turned and started to leave. "I do not need the aid of any mirror to see what I see and my visions are true. They always have been." There was a cold tone in Nithen's voice that shocked Galadriel. As slight tears came to her eyes, Celeborn walked in.  
  
"My lady, perhaps the girl is right. I have sent a messenger to Rohan, to see if such is true. When he returns you may want to take back those words. Now come, love, and rest your head. Ithil will protect our realm whilst we rest."  
  
Galadriel smiled. "Of course." With that, she retreated to her chambers with Celeborn at her side.  
  
****  
  
Haldir was awaiting Nithen as she walked towards her talan. "I heard your discussion with the Lady. How could you speak to her so?"  
  
Nithen sighed. "You do not understand what I have seen dear brother. I will have to make a grave decision. I have seen that if I decide to defend Rohan with the army of Lorien, I must give up something far more important in return." Without another word, Nithen walked into Haldir's arms and sobbed lightly. "Brother, I love you more than I had ever imagined I could love. You have kept me safe, but you have made sure I was content. I love you always dear brother."  
  
Before Haldir could respond, Nithen walked into her talan to suffer through another sleepless night. Staring out her window at all of Lorien bathed in Ithil's sweet light, she sighed. "Love cannot give all who walk its light, some must live in the shadows of the past. Like the sun fades to the moon, the choice before me is between the living and those who live only in memory" 


	16. The Female Soldier

A/N "Sorry tis been toooooo long! Tainted Elf and me been busy but we haven't forgotten you wonderful readers! (assuming there are any left! Please R/R so we know!)  
  
Chapter 16- The Female Soldier  
  
Haldir and Nithen were looking over their troops before they marched the last stretch of land to Rohan's fortress, Helms Deep. They hadn't known that the Rohirrim had fled and had lost time by stopping in Edoras and searching for people, only to find none. They hoped, at least, that the people had gone to Helms Deep as they had in the past when trouble had arisen for them.  
  
"Haldir," Nithen called him over, using the common tongue to conceal their conversation from the keen ears of their kinfolk, "Do you think that we will reach them in time?"  
  
"We might arrive in the Eleventh Hour but I think that we will arrive in time to, if nothing else, attack the stragglers and make songs for them." He had not been optimistic of late; he had been telling everyone the truth no matter how blunt and harsh it was. Nithen appreciated this; it kept her hopes from rising.  
  
Long ago she had learned that for hope to be raised during such vicious war as the one being waged Rohan was as healthy a decision as going in stark naked with no weapons. Even though Nithen didn't believe in armor, she did believe in swords and bows and the truth of a situation. Rumil and Orophin came up behind her and whispered that the troops were all fed and prepared to leave and so she raised the horn to her lips and blew the march.  
  
Within minutes the troops had arranged themselves in flawless lines and stood at attention so intense that they might have been statues. Haldir shouted to them, "March forth to Helms Deep! March to the fulfillment of the Great Alliance between Men and Elves!"  
  
It took them nearly 6 hours to reach the mountains from which Helms Deep was carved, they ran into wargs and orcs on the way, but only a few and they stood no chance against the sheer numbers in the army they faced. The small victories were confidence builders and they were greatly needed, Nithen knew, for they went with three thousand strong elves, each older and stronger then the last and they would make up for two humans a piece if not more, but still they were going up against a large number of Uruk-Hai.  
  
Though Lady Galadriel had been against their coming, she had stated before they left that all of Isengard would be emptied of the great Orc Crossbreeds, an army of ten thousand strong. She had said this to prepare the soldiers, to warn them indirectly that many of them would not be returning. Which was why their cloaks were black instead of grey, they knew that many of them marched to their deaths or that of their friend or loved one or, if nothing else, they would see many humans die before this night was out.  
  
It was dark when they arrived; the Uruk's on their heels, they knew. Their horns sounded through the dismal walls of Helms Deep and Nithen shuddered as she entered the rock fortress. Though she was a dark elf, even she thought it strange and cruel to trap yourself and your loved ones in halls of dead rock that held no warmth, where their was no grass beneath the children's feet and no open sky above their heads. It was beyond her comprehension.  
  
As they marched toward the gate it was opened for them and they marched straight toward the central street that led to the King's overlook of his kingdom. Haldir went on in front of her, and she stayed watching all of their number move into place and surveying each one for the first glimmer of fear in their eye. Luckily she found none. She walked in and out of the rows, making sure that every toe was in line and she saw Aragorn and Haldir embrace, Legolas shook Haldir's hand in joy that the elves had come, and this made Nithen frown. If three thousand troops was a saving grace then perhaps the humans were worse off then she had initially thought.  
  
She approached them, her cloak over her form, "Mae govannen Rohirrim." (Well met)  
  
Her inclined her head to Theoden and he barely returned it, something seemed to have caught his attention, something that bothered him but she paid no mind to it and simply asked what she wanted to know, "How many men do you have?"  
  
"Three hundred." The King answered and Haldir must have made a motion for the King turned his eyes to the captain, "Why do you look so shocked?"  
  
"Three hundred seasoned soldiers, my Lord?"  
  
"Three hundred of any who could wield a sword." The King blushed furiously, obviously embarrassed to be revealing this.  
  
"With all due respect, my Lord," Nithen began, "We were informed that an army of 10,000 Uruk-Hai were marching here from Isengard, were our estimations too great?"  
  
"Nay, they are correct." Aragorn answered, stepping in front of Theoden as if to shield him from the shame that he would bring to his name in speaking the truth to the Elves, "But our warning was short and many were killed in village raids and the Warg attacks prior to this. This is all the strength we can muster."  
  
Nithen looked at Aragorn with a hard eye, "How young is the youngest troop? And how old the oldest? How crippled the illest? How do you expect to have these men fight Uruk-Hai? Where are the legendary Riders of Rohan, whose tales reach even the ears of the elves?"  
  
"Two thousand riders were banished wrongly and now ride in the opposite direct of our war, Gandalf the White went to fetch them but we fear that they shall not come in time and our forces are as they are, lads from 9 to men of 90 we shall fight how we can, defend our lands." Theoden protested Nithen's harsh claims.  
  
"Do not yet loose hope, Nithen of Lothlorien." This was the first time Legolas had directly addressed her since they had parted ways at Lorien and she moved over to him and bowed, a motion that he returned.  
  
"Tis nice that you wish to bring my hopes up but raised hopes will not bring about raised numbers of troops, Thranduilion." She replied and he nodded, countering, "But it does keep one from despairing that the end is upon us."  
  
He pulled her closer to where their foreheads were against each other's and he whispered softly to her, "For the sake of the lads here, do not despair, they are so frightened already."  
  
This realization hit her and she wanted to comment that they should be frightened but curbed the impulse and realized how evil it made her sound. She pushed back her cloak's hood slightly and looked around, seeing very young faces watching her exchange with the king with bated breath and some with tears barely restrained. Their fear was bitter in her mouth, their terror made the air so thick she could scarcely breathe.  
  
And so she sighed, "There is nothing I can do or say to take away their fear, Legolas, but for your sake I shan't add to it."  
  
He smiled and cupped her cheek, which she motioned, an elvish gesture of thanks for the Sindarin elves that he was surprised she knew, "Diolla lle." (thank you)  
  
"Creoso lle." She smiled. (your welcome)  
  
"Wait a moment." Nithen heard Theoden come up behind her and felt him yank her cloak nearly off, her hair cascaded out of its fastenings and spilled around her face. He pushed her to the ground and put a blade to her neck, "Imposter!"  
  
"Mani?" (What?) She replied, slipping to elvish in her confusion.  
  
"You are a woman impersonating a soldier!" Theoden bellowed, "Have you no shame? Guards! Come forth! Bring her to the Caves with the women and children!"  
  
Nithen kicked his sword away and sprang to her feet, but four guards already surrounded her, "What is the meaning of this, Theoden of Rohan?! I defy my Queen to bring you aid and you threaten to lock me away in a cave!"  
  
Theoden was taken aback when Legolas, Haldir and Aragorn all jumped to her aid, pushing the guards away, "What are you doing? Are you mad? Such a young woman will be a burden in battle! She'll be dead in an instant; this is no place for a woman no matter how badly we need soldiers!"  
  
Legolas and Haldir looked disgusted as did many of the elven soldiers, suddenly one stepped forward ranting in elvish and pulling her hood away to reveal her face. Over two hundred more were rushing forth and Theoden could only stare at them, deeply in shock.  
  
"My Lord," Aragorn began trying to mediate the happenings, "Tis the way of the elves that the females become soldiers if they wish to. The elves believe a female is as capable as a male to fight for her home and loved ones; sometimes she is more capable. Like a horse defending her foal, a female can be as deadly as a male."  
  
"These women are soldiers? They all look so young." Theoden was still staring at the elven beauties that had come forth and at the thousand elven males who had pulled back their hoods, ready to protect their ways.  
  
"Did you not know that elves are immortal?" Nithen hissed as she hurriedly tied her hair back.  
  
"So are wizards but they look as old as they are." Theoden countered.  
  
"I am over three thousand years old, the second youngest elf present, juniored only by Prince Legolas. Every other elf here served in one battle of the Last Alliance, that's how old we are. Do not be deceived by your eyes, Theoden-King." Nithen snapped, aggravated at her long locks.  
  
Theoden surveyed the angry elves before him, "Aragorn why do they all look ready to kill me instead of the Uruks?"  
  
"You have greatly insulted their ways." Aragorn replied but before ThÃ©oden could formally apologize Nithen cried out, "Never mind these differing ideas, look now! The Uruk-Hai banners have come very close indeed and soon we must wage a great war here. This battle will be for our survival, let us go into it as friends not enemies. Remember in Middle Earth there is only one enemy: The Great Eye and all of its supporters!"  
  
A great battle cry went up as Theoden and Haldir simultaneously screamed, "Take up your positions!"  
  
A dead silence fell once every position had been filled, every position except for two. Legolas had grabbed Nithen's arm and pulled her off into a darkened corner as everyone else filed into place. His grip on her was firm and she could still remember the last time he had touched her and it aggravated her to no end that he had never left her thoughts.  
  
He scanned her with his eyes for marks and wounds on her flesh and on her heart and simply absorbed her essence for a moment. Then quick as a flash he drew her forward and kissed her heavily and pushed away from her quickly whispering, "I didn't want to die without one last kiss from you, Nithen, saes, don't be angry at me." (please)  
  
Nithen was still wheeling from the suddenness of his action when she heard his words and didn't know how the words spilled from her mouth if she hadn't thought to speak them, "I won't be if I can have one last kiss from you."  
  
Although looking momentarily puzzled, the prince swooped down and caught her lips again. They were pulled apart by the sharp shriek of an orc horn and they shared a brief look, knowing without saying that they would look out for one another.  
  
Nithen still didn't understand why she had asked for a kiss from the prince, she didn't want to believe that she was falling in love with him, she wanted to believe that it was some terrible trick of his like everything good that ever happened to her...but she had trouble telling herself that he was trying to seduce her still.  
  
It was then that she and Legolas ran out to see the grand army before them... endless lines of Uruk-Hai.  
  
She hoped that she would see the next sunrise; she was suddenly stricken with the desire to see one last blazing orange sky.  
  
Nah, not an orange sky, she corrected her thoughts as she settled an arrow into place, it shall be as red as every drop of blood that would be spilled this night.  
  
A/N- Its Blue Eyes and I'm SOOOOO sorry that its been so long. MERRY CHRISTMAS, your present was the chapter J I saw ROTK and loved it I hope all of you did!  
  
R/R please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	17. The Price of War

A/N: I know it's been forever, but a switching of AIM SNs and a few other complications made updating quite difficult. My deepest apologies, I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I realize this fic follows the movie, not the books. Please be aware that we _have_ read the books but for our plot purposes, the movie's events add to the drama. Thank you.  
  
Chapter 17- The Price of War

* * *

Nithen surveyed the dry, burnt and dead land. A huge gash in the wall from explosives... Dead bodies littered the ground. Elves, men and Uruk-hai alike, all having lost their lives in this terrible battle. She closed her eyes a minute, trying to forget the horror of the fight. Slipping in the mud, she let out a sigh of defeat and sat down. The moment her eyelids covered her tainted blue eyes, images came flying at her.

-Flashback-

"Ninety!" shouted Gimli proudly, causing Nithen to smile as she struck down another of the Uruk-hai. She could see the constant raining of elven arrows overhead, enjoying the gentle reminder that her kindred were watching her back. Her sword slid through another fiend with little trouble and her hopes could not have been higher. Was it the kiss she had shared with the Prince that had lifted her spirits so? Blinking a moment, she blushed when she realized Rumil had been standing in front to guard her from the enemy.

"Are you done thinking now, sister?" He asked tartly.

Winking at him thankfully she nodded, "Sorry brother, it shan't happen again." And it hadn't. She'd fought well. Many of those horrid beasts had fallen under her blade and her bow.

-End Flashback-

Climbing to her feet again, she managed to slid down a rock staircase riddled with weapons and debris. Nithen was tempted to look around for survivors, but her heart was stricken with grief. Too many elves had died... Including her eldest brother. She feared for the other two, as she could not find them either.

-Flashback-

"Aragorn, have you seen my brother? Have you seen Haldir?" Aragorn angrily parried with an Uruk before slaying him.

He shook his head fiercely, sweat lining his hair. "I have not seen him since the wall broke."

Worry filled her as she sliced her way through four or five more Uruk-hai, it was hard to keep track. Finally, she found Orophin. "Have you seen Haldir?"

Unable to give a verbal reply as he concentrated, he gave only a quick shake of his head. Nithen shot an arrow in to the eye of one of his attackers. With a grim smile of thanks, he continued his battle. She moved on, worried for her brother even more now. She had to find him.

"Haldir!" she climbed atop a fallen block of stone, only to see the glistening of Lothlorien armor, it would be impossible to distinguish him amongst all these elven warriors. Her eyes searched frantically, yelping in surprise as an Uruk-hai tugged her down by her cloak. Curling in to a ball and rolling twice, she stood and tried to get her focus straight. Scimitar. Her blade moved to meet it automatically. She kicked the beast in the chest, causing his force to weaken as she parried his weapon and ripped open his gut.

Then she heard the most visceral cry, turning with a start. It was Haldir. Oh no, it was Haldir. How did she know? She couldn't explain it. Her feather-light feet carried her swiftly to the top of the wall, or what was left of it. That's when she saw the Uruk-hai standing victoriously over the body of her brother. Roaring in anger, she leaped across the six or seven foot gap to the other side.

Tears blurred her vision but not enough to distort her aim. Two arrows hit him in the chest and then she launched at him to stab him thrice with her blade. Taking a deep breath, she turned to her brother. He was already gone. The river had taken him. Crying out in grief, she lunged at the nearest Uruk-hai. Soon, she could hardly see. She could hear the sickening sound of her blade impaling the enemy, and that sound drove her. Eventually, it was all she needed to here. Locate the enemy, kill, move on. She heard footsteps behind her and raised her blade, letting out a cry of attack before turning around and swinging her blade.

"Lady Nithen!" her blade was parried with an elven blade, it was the Prince of Mirkwood. She'd almost killed the Prince. Her rage gave way to grief.

Her voice was lost to her as she stammered an apology, "Amin hiraetha..."

The concern in his eyes only made her more ashamed. Then, Gandalf rode over the hills with the Riders of Rohan. While he was distracted, Nithen slid away, leaving Uruk-hai corpses in her wake.

-End Flashback-

Now the Elven Prince had found her once again, and he was still worried. "You lost control, Lady..."

"My brother is dead and my other two brothers are missing, what would you expect me to do besides find vengeance?" Her nerves were raw with worry, grief and despair. She needed to wake up and realize it was all a horrible nightmare. But she knew that wouldn't happen, fate was not so kind to this elven warrior.

"And many others could have fallen at your hands due to your lack of restraint."

She did loathe the man, mainly because he always seemed to be right. "We both survived, didn't we? Shouldn't you just be thankful?" Her tone was bitter.

Legolas sighed, "I am thankful. I am also regretful. I regret not being able to aide your brothers."

Alarms went off in her head, "Brothers? You have news of Orophin and Rumil?"

He nodded slowly. "Rumil will recover. He was wounded but elven healers are tending to him at this very moment."

"And Orophin?" oh how she feared to ask.

Legolas frowned gravely, "Perhaps you should come with me."

Nithen stood up, shaking her head weakly. Tears built up in her eyes. "Tell me, Prince Legolas. I deserve to know."

"He was struck down, fatally I am afraid." He looked as if delivering the news pained him.

The tears sprang from her eyes and she trembled with rage. "NO!" she cried out helplessly.

Legolas approached her, wrapping his arms around her tightly. "Amin hiraetha." (I am sorry.)

Nithen pushed him away, bringing her opened palm down on his cheek. "Step away from me, Prince. I need not your false words of remorse! They will not bring my brothers back!" She took off running, unsure where she was headed. There were no enemies to kill, the battle had been won.

"Nithen!"

The voice of Aragorn bellowed her name from behind her. Gripping her sword, she turned and lunged at him. "Leave me be!"

Aragorn had his sword out quick enough to counter her blow. "And let you fall victim to your own self-pity?"

Tears slid down her cheeks, "My pain is my own!" Their blades met several other times, Aragorn gaining a slight edge as Nithen began to back away.

"All this energy you waste on rage and self-pity. Nithen, all this time you choose not to move on. But you must! Your brothers, they shall never rest if you do not release them! Nithen, do not force the dead to wander beside you in the land of the living. They can help you no longer, they must be set free. _You_ must set them free."

She charged at him again, missing horribly as she sank to her feet. "No. I will never forget my brothers." Nithen frowned deeply as Aragorn flung her sword from her grip, by the time she had retrieved it, Aragorn was no longer there. No matter, she needed no one. She was Nithen. She was ice. Forever would she remain ice, for no one understood her pain and no one ever would, she would not let them. Nithen started searching for her only living brother.


	18. Siblings

A/N- Yeah I know its completely against the books, but what the hell? Who's it hurting? It's a fun little piece and all you lovely lovely readers have to remember to review!

Chapter 18- Siblings

_Haldir was swinging her in circles as her father dueled with Rumil and Orophin helped their mother carry lunch outside. The sun was cascading through the golden leaves of Lorien and it seemed to the young elf that life was as golden as her home. There was no concept of death in her world; there was no war that she was aware of. She was surrounded by warmth, by light, by love. _

_Then the war came to her doorstep…_

_The day after her family marched away it rained…it rained for the first time in Nithen's life. _

She collapsed beside the stone walls of Helms Deep in tears, gasping for breath. Dead…everything was dead that mattered to her….her parents…her brothers! Not all of her brothers, she realized that in the back of her mind, but such a powerful wave of grief overcame her that she scarcely remembered his name.

Staring blankly ahead of her, not seeing anything, she recalled attacking Aragorn; she recalled how violently she had slaughtered anything, everything, around her. She peeped at her hands….they were covered in a blood only she could see, a blood so thick she feared she would never wash it off.

It was as she was compulsively wiping her hands on her tunic that Legolas found her. He was so tempted to comfort her, so tempted to walk over and embrace her, but he knew she was more likely to bite him then kiss him, and he could understand.

He had lost his mother once.

It had been unbearable, the pain of knowing he would live until the sun died and would never again feel her hand upon his cheek. He couldn't begin to fathom losing both parents…two brothers…he truly pitied her, truly hoped she could find a way to numb her pain.

Without hurting herself or anyone else.

He flinched as he remembered her attacking Aragorn, going for his throat, looking to shed blood. How could the pain, the grief, be that overwhelming? That you would attack your friend?

He knew it wise to not approach her as she began to wipe her hands…he wondered why she was cleaning them so vigorously…so he kept his distance as he said, "Your brother is asking for you."

She nodded almost imperceptibly and got up, using the wall to prevent herself from falling, then began to walk purposefully toward the healer's tents.

_They were laughing…laughing with her. _

"_Hide, pen neth (little one). Hide well!" Haldir cried out and the little elfling sprinted away, hiding in the glades. Her black hair glistening against the green, her laughter making her obvious amongst the calm singing of the birds._

_And still Haldir stood right in front of where she hid, "Where is she? Where is that sister of mine? She is no where to be found! Nithen! Nithen, little crow! Little sprite! Come out from where you hide!"_

_She giggled and he turned his head in the opposite direction of where he well knew she was hiding, "Do my ears deceive me? I thought I heard my sister's voice?" _

_Nithen smothered her laughter with her hands, and Haldir smiled, but she could not see him smile. He heaved a false sigh, "Well…it appears my baby sister has disappeared into the air! As mysteriously vanished as Nimrodel herself! Ah well then I shall go…I shall go tell our mother that I've lost her little girl! Woe to me, the bearer of such ill news!"_

_Nithen laughed heartily and launched herself out of the glade and straight into her brother, knocking him over, "I'm here! I'm here! And I hid so well you thought I was vanished!"_

_  
"Yes, you hid well, pen neth." He laughed and tickled her, "I hope I never lose you again!"_

Nithen's feet were heavy as iron, she could scarce drag them to each step…and yet she felt as though she reached the tent too quickly. Her breath caught in her throat as she entered, her brother, her Rumil, her light-hearted, loving brother…her friend….

He sat propped against makeshift pillows, bloodied bandages wrapped around his chest. His breathing was shallow but steady and his eyes slowly focused on her, groggy from pain and fatigue.

"Nithen?" His voice was thick and he coughed heavily, some blood coming from him. She ran to his side, rubbing his back and smoothing his brow until this coughing fit subsided. She had no way of knowing how she looked, but it could not have been very comforting for Rumil, laying here so wounded and weak, began to comfort her.

"Do not look up at me with your eyes so big and full of pain and worry." He smoothed a stray lock of pitch black hair, "I shall live… I am the lucky one it seems."

A sob escaped her, unrestrained, "They're….gone."

The word seemed so final, so lasting. _Gone_. Where had they gone to?

"Do not lose hope, Nithen…they have found a peace we shall never know. We who live amongst war and petty jealousies and hatreds…we can never understand that serenity. Let them have it without making them repent their state. They did not choose to die."

She could not bear another word of it and buried her head deep into the crook of her arms, her shoulders shaking with powerful waves of tears and pain; pain she had tried to hold inside of her for so long.

"That's it, little crow…let it out…cry…" Rumil soothed her, he petted her hair and cooed soft things to her. Guilt washed over her, should she not be tending to him instead of the other way around?

_She did not understand why they were marching away. She was to young to understand war, she was too young to know even that vague concept elves held of death. Orophin caught her pouting and poking at the shiny armor on his bed._

"_Why must you all go?" Nithen looked at him with big wide eyes._

"_It is our duty, Nithen. You shall know of such a thing one day." He ruffled her hair and gently pushed her to one side so he could put the armor on. _

"_What is duty?" She asked, tugging on his sleeve._

_Orophin smiled at her for a moment, "Dear-heart, you are too young for such a thing."_

_Nithen, defeated, walked out of his room and traipsed down the hall to her parents room. Opening the door she found them kissing each other, loving, slowly, as only a couple together for so many thousands of years could kiss. She clucked disapprovingly and they turned to face her._

"_Eavesdropping, my little beauty?" Her father scooped her into his arms and swung her in circles, kissed the top of her head and set her down._

"_No, I wasn't eavesdropping." She began tracing the designs on her mother's armor, it was older then her brothers, she could feel it in the metal, in the designs. This armor had seen battles older then time. Her mother studied her motions, watching as small slender fingers traced the vines over and around the chest plate._

"_Do you like that, Nithen?" Her mother cooed to her, tucking a strand of hair behind a pointed ear._

"_It's very pretty, atara…" Her mother smiled softly, "We shall have one made like it for you when you are older."_

_This brought a smile to the elfling's face, "Atara…what is duty?"_

_A slight crinkle formed between the elf's brow as she looked at her child, "Why do you as about such a thing?"_

"_That is why you must leave. It is why adar and Haldir and Orophin and Rumil must all leave."_

"_Yes…it is. Duty is doing something that you know you must do whether or not you would like to. I would like to stay with my little elfling, but I must fight, as we all must fight."_

"_Why can you simply not do your duty?" The child asked, wishing her mother could indeed stay with her._

"_Child, we all have duties. Some duties are easier then others. It is my duty to care for my children, it is also my duty to be a soldier. It is much easier to stay here mothering you then to fight the Dark Lord… but you cannot choose to abandon the hard duties and live guiltlessly. You must do what is expected of you, if not, how can you do what you expect of yourself?"_

_The elfling's brows were furrowed now, a small replica of her mother's face a minute before and it caused a small laugh to emit from the older elf, "Do not worry about such duties, my daughter. You have many years until you need worry about them."_

_She kissed her young daughter's head and began dressing, her husband already dressed and having watched the whole exchange stroked his daughter's hair._

"_I shall give you an easy duty, Nithen. You must be well-behaved while we are gone. Can you do that for us?"_

_She nodded, hugging her father's legs for she could reach no higher. That night, she watched them march away and felt a drop of water hit her head. She looked up, reaching up her hands to catch the droplets falling from the sky. _

_Nithen turned to the Lady Galadriel, who watched the small child amusedly, and said, "Look…the clouds are crying!"_

A staccato rhythm began to form on the tent, erratically at first but constantly more even until the heavy rain sounded like a strong gust of wind. She had long ago ceased to cry and simply sat, her head on her brother's sick bed as he petted her hair, her eyes staring blankly ahead lost in memories.

The rain brought her back to the tent, to the present time and she sat up and looked at her brother, "The clouds are crying, Rumil."

He could not fathom what that meant, but he could sense her withdrawing into herself again, hiding the pain so it could not find her.

"Nithen, you must be strong…I hate to burden you with such a duty but you must lead the elves. You are the last one of our line who can lead them right now, I am in no condition to. They shall be leading the injured back to Lothlorien for healing shortly, but your battle is not done. The humans still need your help." He grabbed her hands in his for emphasis, "Sister…they can not win this alone. The time of the elves is fading but not through, let us hand the scepter to Men and not Sauron. Let us turn Middle Earth to the mortals, let us win this day."

She could only mutely nod before kissing his head and leaving. As she left, she walked right past a shadowy figure, that thereafter entered her brother's tent.

Rumil looked up at this intruder, "Mae govannen, tarenin." (Well met, my prince.)

Legolas bowed his head, "And how are you, friend?"

His face was grim-set, "I fear I am the better of the two of my blood….did you see her?"

Legolas nodded darkly, "She is hiding again."

Rumil could not fight the response, only nod his assent and pray that someone could help his sister.

A/N- Wow…..I am SOOOOO sorry that it has been so long since the last update…I really have very few excuses. I've just been busy. And so has my LOVELY counterpart, the ever radiant Tainted Elf.

Leave us some reviews…and remember: we know its not book-accurate. So please don't feel the need to remind us.

Cheers!


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